(ENG) D&D 3.5 Ed. - Fiendish Codex I - Hordes of The Abyss

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3 TABLE OF CONTENTS Contents Chapter 1: Demonic Lore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 The Black Scrolls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 The Origins of Demons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Physiology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Basic Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Dissection of a Dretch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Demonic Life Cycles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Demons on the Material Plane . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Getting There (or Here) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Demonic Roles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 The Assassin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 The Brute . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 The Corruptor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 The Manipulator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 The Overlord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Demonic Possession . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 Possessed Creatures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Possessed Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 Chapter 2: Demons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 Loumara Subtype . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 Obyrith Subtype . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 Tanar’ri Subtype . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 Armanite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 Bar-lgura . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 Broodswarm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 Bulezau . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 Chasme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 Dybbuk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 Ekolid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 Goristro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 Guecubu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 Lilitu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 Mane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45 Molydeus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 Nabassu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 Rutterkin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 Sibriex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 Yochlol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54 Chapter 3: Demon Lords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57 Demonic Aspects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57 Making Epic Demon Lords . . . . . . . . . . . . .57 Baphomet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58 Dagon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59 Demogorgon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61 Fraz-Urb’luu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63 Graz’zt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65 Juiblex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66 Kostchtchie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68 Malcanthet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69 Obox-ob . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71 Orcus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73 Pale Night . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74 Pazuzu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76 Yeenoghu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78 Zuggtmoy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79 Chapter 4: Traff icking with Demons . . . . . .81 Character Roles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81 Prestige Class Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82 Feats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82 Abyssal Heritor Feats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82 Vile Feats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82 Abyss-Bound Soul . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83 Blood War Conscript . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83 Chaotic Spell Recall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84 Claws of the Beast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84 Cloak of the Obyrith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85 Dark Speech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85 Demonic Conduit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85 Demonic Skin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85 Demonic Sneak Attack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85 Demon Mastery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85 Evil Brand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85 Extract Demonic Essence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86 Eyes of the Abyss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86 Heart of the Nabassu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86 Keeper of Forbidden Lore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86 Ordered Chaos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86 Otherworldly Countenance . . . . . . . . . . . . .87 Poison Healer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87 Poison Talons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87 Precognitive Visions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87 Primordial Scion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87 Thrall to Demon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87 Vestigial Wings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87 Magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88 Bard Spells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88 Blackguard Spells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88 Cleric Spells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88 Corruption Domain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88 Demonic Domain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88 Entropy Domain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89 Fury Domain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89 Ooze Domain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89 Temptation Domain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90 Druid Spell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90 Paladin Spell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90 Sorcerer/Wizard Spells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90 New Spells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90 Abyssal Frenzy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90 Abyssal Frenzy, Mass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91 Abyssal Rift . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91 Beckoning Call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91 Befoul . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91 Demon Wings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92 Demoncall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92 Demonfl esh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92 Despoil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92 Embrace the Dark Chaos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92 Exorcism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92 Extract Gift . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92 Fiendish Clarity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94 Inner Beauty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94 Morality Undone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95 Oozepuppet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95 Pox. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 Shun the Dark Chaos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95 Slime Wave . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95 Soul Link . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96 Vision of Entropy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96 The Black Cult of Ahm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96 Joining the Black Cult of Ahm . . . . . . . . . .96 Playing a Black Cultist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .97 Black Cultists in the World . . . . . . . . . . . . .98 Black Cult of Ahm Lore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99 Black Cultists in the Game . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99 The Black Scrolls of Ahm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 Additional Black Scrolls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 Chapter 5: Into the Abyss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 A History of the Abyss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 The Blood War . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 Denizens of the Abyss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 Tanar’ri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 Obyriths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 Loumaras . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 Mortals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 Petitioners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 Deities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 Getting around in the Abyss . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 The Abyssian Ocean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 The Grand Abyss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 The Infi nite Staircase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110 The Pits of Pazunia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110 The River Styx . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111 Ships of Chaos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111 Stable Gates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 Abyssal Planar Traits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 Abyssal Hazards and Terrain Features . . . . 112 Cacklestorm (CR 2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 Memory Fog (CR 4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 Miasma Cloud (CR 5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 Vacuum Gate (CR 7) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 Viper Tree (CR 3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 Layer Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 Pazunia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 Azzagrat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 The Demonweb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122 Thanatos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127 The Grand Abyss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 Twelvetrees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134 The Iron Wastes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135 The Wells of Darkness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137 The Gaping Maw . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139 Hollow’s Heart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142 Shedaklah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144 Yeenoghu’s Realm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146 Androlynne . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148 Shendilavri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150 The Endless Maze . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152 Appendix I: Lords of the Abyss . . . . . . . . . . 155 Appendix II: Layers of the Abyss . . . . . . . . 156 Appendix III: Index of Demons . . . . . . . . . 157 Demons by CR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157 620_95375_Ch1.indd 3 3/20/06 3:49:09 PM

Introduction “Korata, buraki, tor-knu!” A withered hand tosses yellow dust on the dark circle. The circle glows. “Mortucorn, sikjata, marilith!” The glow grows brighter. A shimmer fi lls the air within the circle. Then—a CRACK! as the air splits and the stench of sulfur and brimstone explodes outward. The glow fades. A female fi gure appears, but this is no woman. As she raises her head, her snakelike tail unfurls and her six arms, each hand holding a weapon, stretch outward from her humanlike torso. “You called?” Her voice is raspy, full of contempt. “You wish my service, ‘master’?” The cloaked fi gure steps aside and, in a voice as ancient and terrible as death, says, “Not exactly.” He turns his head toward a far corner of the chamber and speaks again. “Come, let us see what we can learn from this one.” In response, two fi gures step forward out of the darkness. One bears a shield emblazoned with the symbol of Heironeous. His sword glows with a holy fl ame as he raises it to strike. The other carries an axe struck with the symbol of Kord. He growls as he leaps forward. The marilith hisses in pain and fear, her eyes squinting against the holy light. “No!” Her blades sing as they cut the air. “No!” she screams again as the sword falls and the axe strikes. “No. . . .” The six-armed body falls to the ground, and the cloaked fi gure speaks to his companions once more. “Now, quickly—bring it to me. . . .” THE ABYSS AWAITS Those who would battle the forces of evil must learn about them and turn their own works against them. Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss deals with demons and the layers of the Abyss in a frank manner. Demons are no longer simply the biggest bad guys on the D&D block. Rather, they provide a whole new set of challenges for player characters—and new opportunities as well. This book contains information for DMs who want to run adventures or campaigns featuring demons and the Abyss for all levels. From the quasit that curdles a cow’s milk, to the dungeon passage that seems to go on a bit too long, to the expedition through demonic layers to wrest a soul from torment, adventuring against demonkind can come at any time during a campaign. The tanar’ri, the loumara, and the obyrith populate this book. Some of the demons described herein are “ordinary” examples of their kind, if that word can be accurate where demons are concerned. Another chapter is devoted to the demon lords— unique entities of varying power, although even the weakest among them can be a terrible and formidable opponent. For players, this book offers new feats, prestige classes, magic items, and artifacts that can bring PCs closer to defeating—or joining—the fi endish hordes. The Black Scrolls of Ahm teach us about demonkind, as well as the famed Demonomicon of Iggwilv and other classic works. The fi nal chapter of this book, and the longest one, provides detailed information about several layers of the Abyss that far exceeds the quality and quantity of any previously published material. DEMONS IN THE CAMPAIGN This book discusses how to introduce fi ends and the Abyss into the campaign in many interesting ways. It’s important to realize that player characters do not have to be high level to fi ght demons. Not only are many lower-level demons contained in this tome, but there are also plenty of instances of demonic incursion on the Material Plane that a DM can introduce into his or her game. The book covers this topic further, but it is something important enough to state up front. THE DEFINITIVE SOURCE If you have been tainted by earlier explorations into demonic lore, rest assured that Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss is the defi nitive DUNGEONS & DRAGONS v.3.5 book on the subject. The material contained in this tome updates earlier material, drawing from earlier sources freely and eliminating contradictions. If you have used earlier sources and you fi nd lore in those books that contradicts Fiendish Codex . . . well, demons are known for spreading misinformation. Use the material that works best for your campaign—but be aware that future D&D works will rely on Fiendish Codex I for the defi nitive answers to Abyssal questions. WHAT YOU NEED TO PLAY Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss makes use of the information in the three D&D core rulebooks--Player’s Handbook (PH), Dungeon Master’s Guide (DMG), and Monster Manual (MM). In addition, it includes references to other D&D supplements, including Fiend Folio (FF), Monster Manual II (MM2), Monster Manual III (MM3), Epic Level Handbook, Miniatures Handbook, and a few others. Although possession of any or all of these supplements will enhance your enjoyment of this book, none beyond the core rulebooks are strictly necessary. INTRODUCTION 4 pqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqrs pqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqrs SWIFT AND IMMEDIATE ACTIONS Some of the special abilities, feats, spells, and items in Fiendish Codex I use these concepts, which were intrduced in previous supplements. A description of how they work follows. Swift Action: A swift action consumes a very small amount of time, but represents a larger expenditure of effort and energy than a free action. You can perform one swift action per turn without affecting your ability to perform other actions. In that regard, a swift action is like a free action. However, you can perform only a single swift action per turn, regardless of what other actions you take. Casting a quickened spell is a swift action. In addition, casting any spell with a casting time of 1 swift action (such as exorcism; see page 92) is a swift action. Casting a spell with a casting time of 1 swift action does not provoke attacks of opportunity. Immediate Action: Much like a swift action, an immediate action consumes a very small amount of time, but represents a larger expenditure of effort and energy than a free action. Unlike a swift action, an immediate action can be performed at any time—even if it’s not your turn. Using an immediate action on your turn is the same as using a swift action, and it counts as your swift action for that turn. You cannot use another immediate action or a swift action until after your next turn if you have used an immediate action when it is not currently your turn (effectively, using an immediate action before your turn is equivalent to using your swift action for the coming turn). You also cannot use an immediate action if you are currently flat-footed. 620_95375_Ch1.indd 4 3/20/06 3:49:16 PM

n the beginning, there was light . . . but in the time before that, chaos raged. To study fi ends is to study the Abyss. Rage, hate, and roiling chaos enshroud all ancient fi endish lore like a darkmantle engulfs its prey. As such, students of demonic mythos are not usually claimed by madness, but by the subject matter itself. A loremaster who tempts the Abyss with his curiosity might fi nd it looking right back at him, hooking its shadowy tendrils into his soul and clutching at his very being with a strength that predates the eternal. But madness? No, he will not survive to know madness. That said, I study the lore of demons, and somehow I endure. I have neither wrestled the Abyss directly nor allowed my many encounters with the fiends that serve it (yes, I said they serve it!) to quench my thirst for knowledge. Those who come after me might be more careful, if less skilled, and they can continue the dark journey from the end of my steps. But, alone in my explorations, I have uncovered truths they could not hope to discover firsthand. Most importantly, I have learned that the Abyss is the darkling chaos from which all things come. This genesis has nothing to do with good or evil—just pure, churning chaos, in its simplest form. Who could have believed that the origin of life—of earth, of tree and stream—spawns from such turmoil? Yet, it is true. It is only through the imposition of order that the gods create, and they must work the stuff of chaos to build their thrones above man’s domain. They create law and force order, twisting what was pure into something . . . else—something more suited to their survival and their dominance over us. As such, they are not ultimately responsible for creation, but only for helping the essence of life take shape. Therefore, is it any wonder that demons hate and envy the divine? The gods corrupt the pure chaos of the fi ends’ spawning grounds and leave them thrashing around in what is left. These deities then ascend to higher planes, often taking credit for the creation of the universe, or individual planes, or mankind, or any number of wonders over which they had little infl uence. The chaos and evil of the Abyss is all the fi ends have left, which is why the demonic now wage war against the divine. It is my hope that I shall discover much more before I am myself overcome by the Abyss. However, the fiends have learned of my quest for knowledge, and they fear my power. Soon, the battle will come. I can only pray to gods I no longer worship that my learning survives me. Forge on. —Surviving excerpt from the Black Scrolls of Ahm Not all who study the ways of demons or the origins of the universe maintain as thin a grip on sanity as did the author of the Black Scrolls, Tulket nor Ahm. Still, as he predicted, few loremasters in his fi eld have ever surpassed him in skill—though some certainly bested him in caution. Luckily, his theories on fi ends and the origins of the universe survived his gory death and have formed the basis of many continuing works on the subject. 5Illus. by A. Swekel Illus. by A. Swekel 620_95375_Ch1.indd 5 3/20/06 3:49:22 PM

6CHAPTER 1 DEMONIC LORE THE BLACK SCROLLS When Tulket nor Ahm compiled his knowledge of fi ends, he knew his work would attract the attention of his subjects, if not the Abyss itself. Ahm believed that all life in the universe derives from the chaos of the Abyss, thus extrapolating that the Abyss itself must be alive as well. Still, even Ahm never ascribed intelligence or sentience to the Abyss. He fi rmly alleged that nothing alive (or even undead) could comprehend the nature of the Abyss’s existence. However, he did posit a motive for it—a return to chaos. Ahm deemed it possible that the intelligence of the demonic creatures spawned in the Abyss were, in fact, its own intelligence, working toward this goal. Through their ultimately chaotic efforts, he believed that the fi ends would bring about the Abyss’s desired outcome—the end of all things mortal and immortal, and a universe that could, once again, live wholly without order or purpose. Few loremasters have read even parts of the Black Scrolls of Ahm, and fewer still can understand what they have seen transcribed in Tulket nor Ahm’s spidery, wandering hand. While many of the Black Scrolls survived Ahm’s destruction (and the destruction of his entire kingdom, as well as a good deal of the landscape surrounding it), that devastating force scattered his writings to the four corners of the world, and beyond. Some say Ahm’s demonic assassins cursed his chronicles, ensuring that they would never again be collected in one place. Others who have read more than a few of the stained and torn parchments believe Ahm himself enchanted them, forcing them to move about the cosmos so the demons could not collect his work and destroy it. If any of the demon princes know the true answer to this question—and at least one must, for Ahm’s power grew as he worked, and no mere pit fi end or marilith general could have overseen his demise—they refuse to speak it, even under dire compulsions. Again, some see this as Ahm’s handiwork, but none know for sure. As is true of many works of magical writing, transcribing all but the smallest and most innocuous parts of the Black Scrolls of Ahm remains impossible. Still, the authors of this text have reproduced carefully selected excerpts in the hopes of passing on Ahm’s knowledge of fi ends. But be warned. Should you come upon one of Ahm’s original scrolls in your thirst for knowledge, peruse it carefully, lest something out of the darkness come to devour you. THE ORIGINS OF DEMONS The boundless Abyss and its countless layers spawn innumerable hordes of fi ends, which shriek their hatred of all things until the tumult becomes unbearable. To describe a single demon cannot sum up the diversity of the species—if “species” is even the correct term. Chaos evokes variety, so demons cannot be easily described collectively. If Ahm is correct, demons manifest as extensions of the chaos and evil left in the Abyss after the deities, devils, and other powers had “ascended” to other planes and begun forging their own domains, or occupying places created out of the chaos. Spawned directly from and by the forces of chaos, there are incalculable kinds of demons in the universe, and even Ahm categorized the attributes of only a small percentage of them. In fact, the more this ancient scholar learned of individual demons, the more he despaired of ever quantifying their physiology. However, this escalation of data did allow him to recognize and establish a few of their commonalities. Some believe demons formed out of the Abyssal ooze Illus. by T. Pendergraft 620_95375_Ch1.indd 6 3/20/06 3:49:28 PM

7CHAPTER 1 DEMONIC LORE But why would there be commonalities at all? Aren’t demons spawned from chaos? Ahm had a very logical explanation for why even the Abyss would abide by some vague sense of order. Demons derive from the very essence of their home plane, and the Abyss hungers for chaos and evil, using its creatures to bring more of the universe back to its ultimate starting point. For this purpose, Ahm believed that the Abyss spawns even its most diverse demonic creations with the qualities most useful in spreading chaos and evil, as well as a burning desire to do so, thus creating a repetition of certain commonly found fi endish traits. Still, even with this knowledge, demons will always remain somewhat mysterious and incomprehensible. Indeed, nothing about demons seems “natural” to a creature from the Material Plane. To understand a manifestation of chaos and evil is to understand something beyond all frame of reference. PHYSIOLOGY Since demons do not have a common ancestor, body type, or even the same needs for existence, they cannot be easily described in biological terms. Indeed, some scholars argue that demons possess no common traits beyond their origins. Ahm disagreed. As stated previously, he believed that the Abyss shapes demons to perform certain tasks, necessitating that its creations conform in certain ways. Unfortunately, Ahm presents little evidence on the subject. As you would expect, demons are notoriously diffi cult to study when alive, and when they die, their bodies either return immediately to the Abyss or decay very quickly. Nevertheless, chaos being chaos, some demonic corpses have inexplicably remained available for study. BASIC FUNCTIONS All living Material Plane creatures share certain common elements. Humans, dragons, hippogriffs, mind fl ayers, and gnomes all eat. They all breathe. They all reproduce in some basic biological way. However, we do not share these traits with demons. Demons are not Material Plane creatures. As such, they do not have the same needs that we expect in other living creatures. Eating: Demons do not need to eat. That said, a demon can consume endless quantities of food (of any sort), and they often take a particular joy in devouring sacrifi ces, especially gory or disgusting ones. Demons have even been known to consume tons of food in a single sitting, with no effect or consequence, leaving much debate about where the food actually goes. The most common theory is that their link to the Abyss somehow transports the food back to their home plane, but no one has yet brought forward any proof of this. Breathing: While they must breathe, demons have extremely strong lungs, built to withstand a range of environments, including the most deadly fumes of the Abyss, which would kill most Material Plane creatures. As such, demons can easily breathe in any natural Material Plane atmospheres. Sleeping: Demons do not require sleep to function normally. However, powerful individuals occasionally do force them into sleeplike states, and demons can even be rendered unconscious, though not easily. A demon can choose to fall asleep (which it would normally only do for deceitful purposes), but it gains no benefi t from doing so. Digestion: Even though demons can eat all the food they want, they do not have anything resembling biological digestion. The food seems to simply disappear after ingestion, unless the demon prefers to expel it somehow. If they choose, some demons can emit various kinds of discharges (such as vomit, ooze from pores, and other excretions), though not for any obvious purpose, other than the joy they take in polluting their environment. Reproduction: Some demons can have sex if they choose (though not all of them have the necessary “equipment”), but it is not necessary for procreation, since new demons are formed directly from the chaos of the Abyss. Demons that can have sex usually do so only as a means to create half-fi ends, though such creatures can be created in other ways (through arcane magic or curses). DISSECTION OF A DRETCH One of the lowest orders of demon is the dretch. Capturing a dretch outside the Abyss is diffi cult, and keeping the creature’s body from returning to its home plane after death is almost unheard of. Even so, one ancient student of the Black Scrolls inexplicably did so and managed to document his fi ndings. These are his actual notes, though the initial sketch has been revised based on other accounts. 1. Muscles and Tendons: This dretch possesses wiry muscles in its thin, misshapen arms and legs. Unusually powerful for its size, these muscles are the key to its grasping strength. The dretch remained conscious during the exposure of its muscle tissue, and I watched as it fl exed its cablelike muscles in the restraints. When the dretch died, its muscles quickly atrophied and became very pliable and easy to cut. Thus, I believe the creature’s strength stems not only from biological origins, but also from magic. 2. Hands and Claws: The dretch’s powerful forearm muscles pull the tendons in its hands and give the creature’s claws an impressive grasping rake. Note the thin fingers. After death, the bones in the hand became brittle, but before the dretch expired, they were strong as steel. It took several blows with a hammer to break open one of the creature’s exposed fi nger bones before it died, but afterward, I snapped one between my thumb and forefi nger. 3. Abdomen: Here is where the demon diverges most obviously from a creature of the Material Plane. When the demon was alive (regrettably, for only a few moments), its open abdomen appeared to be fi lled with a swirling, noxious black liquid that gave off a horrendous smell. One of my assistants attempted to capture some of this liquid in a jar, but the material enveloped his hand and he ran screaming from the room. (The liquid did not actually harm him, but he recalls little of the examination leading up to the incident.) This liquid evaporated quickly upon the dretch’s death, leaving a tarlike residue and revealing a few small, discolored organs. The odor remained a while longer, fading slowly. While an esophagus of sorts connects the “stomach” to the mouth, the dretch seems to have no bowels, intestines, or other digestive or excretory organs. This also surprised me, since I fed the dretch while it remained my captive, and it consumed nearly all organic material I put in its cage—living and dead. It made a terrible mess in there as well, though I have no idea how it managed to excrete such fi lth. Perhaps the creature vomited when no one was observing it, or perhaps the dretch simply exudes foulness from its pores. I hope to capture another soon, so I can solve this riddle. 4. The Brain: To my surprise, the dretch’s brain looks similar to that of a human or other Material Plane creature. The coloration is different—darker, more purple—and 620_95375_Ch1.indd 7 3/20/06 3:49:38 PM

8CHAPTER 1 DEMONIC LORE the stench emanating from the open skull brings to mind something from a tannery that was carted away in a rendering wagon and then thrown into a pool of vomit. (Perhaps I should stick with “indescribable.”) The bumps and striations, however, follow patterns similar to that of most higher mammals. When I examine my next subject, I will attempt to open the skull before the abdomen so I can examine the brain functions while the creature remains alive. Whether the examiner who added his notes to the Black Scrolls ever captured and examined another dretch remains unknown. DEMONIC LIFE CYCLES Many religions believe that when evil people die, the gods punish them by consigning them to the Abyss or the Nine Hells—or some other horrible plane populated by demons, devils, and other evil creatures. There, these evil souls undergo ever lasting torment at the behest of dark powers. Some believers even claim that occasional souls “rise” to the ranks of demons or devils themselves, becoming slavish servants to evil. Different tomes of knowledge disagree on the fi ner points of these claims. The Black Scrolls of Ahm put forth the position that individual souls seldom (if ever) become demons incarnate, while the Demonomicon of Iggwilv actually lists certain particularly evil individuals from history and outlines what sorts of demons they became after death. However, the Black Scrolls do allow for demonic pacts and bargains. Ahm asserts that a particularly evil—and powerful—individual can make a bargain with Demogorgon or Orcus, promising to serve that prince faithfully in life, in exchange for guaranteed rebirth as a powerful demon after death. He does clarify that these demonic reincarnations appear to be the exception rather than the rule. Still, no proof for these arguments exists one way or the other, and most demons enjoy infl icting doubt upon those who pursue this knowledge too closely. Whatever the case, the demonic life cycle is as unpredictable as the Abyss. Formation and Promotion Most scholarly documents and experts agree that demons form out of the raw chaos of the Abyss, though many diverge from there. The Demonomicon insists that all demonspawn begin as manes (larvae demons) or other lower-order fi ends and, over the centuries, progress up a ladder of power and evil until they become dretches or rutterkins at the whim of a powerful nalfeshnee or demon prince. Once these demonspawn join the hosts of the Abyss, they then slave away in servitude and fear, hoping to go unnoticed by their masters—for notice means torture and pain—while perversely longing for the spark required to transform them into a higher-order demon. Demonspawn loathe their own existence and fear everything around them. A prominent passage from the Demonomicon states: “. . . and all this writhes below you, and around you, and your horror makes you part of it. Your putrid fl esh corrupted, your ragged soul rent, and your desires bathed in evil and black blood. No, demonspawn, you are not forgotten. The terror of existence beyond death is yours. Now writhe, and rise forth!” While the Black Scrolls of Ahm do not refute the Demonomicon’s position on the order of demons, Tulket nor Ahm disagreed on two important points. First, he wrote that demonspawn could instantly become any level of demon, depending on the “desires” of the Abyss itself. Second, he asserted that the “ladder” of demonkind is more of a circle (though his picture of the demon hierarchy looks more like a drop of blood than a circle). In Ahm’s structure, demon princes exist at the top of the droplet and are, to some extent, out of the circle of existence. Barring a major calamity of uprising, no demon prince need fear a plunge back into the reservoir of fi ends below. Balors, mariliths, and other powerful demons stand below their princes and remain somewhat removed from the masses of demons. They possess some individuality and can gain favor with their lords. However, if they become too dangerous or fail in their service, the demon princes or the Abyss itself can plunge them back into the general pool. Again, no one knows whether the Demonomicon or the Black Scrolls speak the truth on this subject, but Tulket nor Anatomy of the dretch: (1) Muscles and tendons; (2) Hands and claws; (3) Abdomen; (4) Brain Illus. by R. Horsley ➊ ➋ ➌ ➍ ➋ ➊ 620_95375_Ch1.indd 8 3/20/06 3:49:45 PM

9CHAPTER 1 DEMONIC LORE Ahm did make one unarguable point. He reasoned that if the Abyss is home to chaos and evil, and demons are an extension (or personifi cation) of the Abyss, how could they function under a simple structure? Their hierarchy would be based on power, not predictability. Death The topic of what happens to demons when they die is another cause of much debate. In general, however, both the Black Scrolls and the Demonomicon acknowledge the following basic concepts: Outside the Abyss: If a demon is killed on another plane, its body eventually returns to the Abyss—unless trapped through magical means, such as a dimensional anchor spell. (See the Demonic Death Throes sidebar for more details on how demon bodies sometimes disappear.) No matter what happens to the demon’s body, if it is killed outside the Abyss, its “essence” falls back into the raw chaos of the Abyss, where it is then be reformed as a new demon. It is unclear whether these reincarnated demons begin again at the bottom of the cycle, or if they are just demoted, but everyone seems certain that death can only be seen as a failure for a demon, so it is unlikely to avoid punishment altogether. Thus, when a demon dies on another plane, it risks falling back into the general pool of demonspawn and can fi nd itself “demoted” in power and essence, which is not to be taken lightly. For example, a vrock sent to wreak havoc on the Material Plane faces a very real danger if it fails in its mission. If the PCs defeat it and send it shrieking back to the Abyss, it can fi nd itself back in the body of a dretch, a rutterkin, or even a mane. Even balors risk this eternal cycle when they battle for their Abyssal lords. Only the direct intervention of a demon prince can possibly spare this punishment. The important exception to all of this occurs when a demon is summoned out of the Abyss magically, in which case it simply returns unharmed when the spell ends (or when the demon is destroyed), no matter what happens to it in the meantime. Thus, demons summoned to the Material Plane have little fear of death. Within the Abyss: If a demon is killed while within the Abyss, it is permanently destroyed—both its body and its essence. For this reason, many demons are relatively more cautious on their home turf than when wreaking havoc on another plane. While a demotion through reincarnation is pqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqrs pqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqrs DEMONIC DEATH THROES “. . . and as the marilith’s head fell from its shoulders, blood bubbled forth. Tiny grubs swam in the gore, and as we watched, they consumed the demon’s body and attempted to crawl away to freedom. Revolted, we threw the stone table onto the corpse, hoping to squash the foul creatures. Later, when we cleared away the broken stone, we found only the demon’s swords and a spattering of black and red blood. The larvae were gone.” —“The Battle of Darkspur,” as related in the Black Scrolls of Ahm When a balor dies, it explodes in a blinding flash of light and flame that consumes its corpse and sends whatever soul it possesses shrieking back to the Abyss. Few lesser demons die as spectacularly, but neither do they usually just fall to earth and rot. The following table includes suggestions of what might occur when a demon dies outside the Abyss. Demonic Death Throes d20 Effect 1 The corpse melts into a pool of black, tarlike ichor. 2 The head (or what remains of it) begins cursing in a dozen different languages and voices, after which the corpse simply winks out of existence. 3 Two snakes force their way out of the killing wound and begin devouring the corpse from either end. If attacked, the snakes disappear along with the remains. 4 The corpse crumbles to dust, leaving enough powdery remains to fi ll a small bag. 5 The fl esh of the demon rots away (as if a hundred years pass by in an instant), leaving behind only a skeleton. 6 Half the demon’s body is engulfed in fl ame (harmless to nearby characters), while the other half freezes solid and falls to the ground, shattering. 7 A hole opens up in the fabric of the universe, and an unseen force sucks the demon into the hole with a loud “pop.” Demonic Death Throes d20 Effect 8 The skin of the demon peels away, leaving its muscles and organs exposed. 9 All the bones and muscle tissue in the demon leak out its wounds in purple, smoking rivulets of blood. The remaining sac of skin bubbles quietly on the ground. 10 The body discorporates into a foul-smelling mist. 11 Sparks and lightning burst around the killing wound, blackening the demon’s skin. In moments, the lightning consumes the corpse, leaving a smoldering spot on the ground. 12 The demon’s body immediately transforms into stone and shrinks down to the size of a tiny statuette. 13 Vermin explode out of the corpse, consuming it and then fl eeing in all directions. 14 The demon turns translucent and then disappears in an explosive fl ash of light, leaving its shadow image on all nearby walls. 15 The demon’s skeleton tears itself free of its fl esh, takes three steps, and then crumbles into dust. 16 Shadowy hands reach up from the fl oor and pull the corpse into the ground, leaving behind no sign of the demon. 17 As the demon falls, its corpse explodes into tiny, 1-inch-high duplicates of itself. The tiny demons immediately begin fi ghting among themselves until only one remains, which then vanishes in a puff of smoke. 18 Blinding, yellow light explodes out of the demon’s eyes and ears. Cracks appear in the creature’s skin as the light spreads, consuming the fi end’s body in harmless but spectacular energy. 19 The demon falls to the ground, and its fl esh rots away in an instant, leaving behind a sickly odor. The bones remain, but they will turn to dust at the slightest pressure. 20 Nothing special. The demon expires as if it were a normal, Material Plane creature. 620_95375_Ch1.indd 9 3/20/06 3:49:54 PM

10CHAPTER 1 DEMONIC LORE not ideal, most demons view it as a much better option than complete annihilation. Aging As for the rest of the life cycle, demons do not grow old, and they do not die of anything remotely resembling natural causes. At best, they return to the unformed Abyss and their essence becomes part of the evil and chaos of the plane. At worst, who knows . . . ? DEMONS ON THE MATERIAL PLANE As natives of the Abyss, most demons remain prisoners there for eternity. In addition to the innate horrors of the Abyss itself, most demons are enslaved and tormented by more powerful demons. The only relief they have is the suffering of others—lesser demons, or rare visitors to the Abyss, whom they can fi ght or torment. That is, unless they fi nd a way out. Few demons have the ability to plane shift away from the Abyss, and those that do, ironically, have the least reason to venture outside their domains. They are the powers on their layers, ruling other demons. Unless they feel the Abyss’s call to bring chaos to another plane, these fi ends concentrate on maintaining power against their rivals, not venturing across the cosmos looking for trouble. Unfortunately for the rest of us, the Abyss does hunger to corrupt other planes and grow beyond its planar borders. Many fiends without the power to move themselves onto other planes will heed the call of creatures seeking demonic aid in their unholy endeavors. GETTING THERE (OR HERE) Even for those demons unable to transport themselves out of the Abyss, opportunities to infl ict their fi endish appetites on the Material Plane do exist. Each has its own limitations, of course, but demons seize opportunities for evil and corruption in both talons . . . and then they squeeze. The Call Some spells and rituals can call demons to the Material Plane. A powerful spellcaster can use the gate spell to wrench a demon out of the Abyss and onto the Material Plane, leaving it no chance to resist. A gate spell often helps the caster control a demon while it remains outside the Abyss, but fi ends practice deception and betrayal as a part of life. An unwary or overly ambitious spellcaster could fi nd a gated demon outside his control too quickly for him to respond, which could result in a demon on the loose. Lesser spellcasters (often demonic cultists) rely on complex rituals, fi endish artifacts, and living, sapient sacrifi ces to call demons to their service. Seldom do these casters possess the necessary strength to control the demons they call forth, but most fiends play along with those that allow them access to the Material Plane. As long as these erstwhile fools ask a demon to do things it wants to do anyway (such as kill, maim, destroy, or corrupt), it serves. Once the creature grows bored, however, it begins to fi nd ways to act independently and betray its master. Evil begets evil, and a new portal opens to the Abyss Illus. by E. Gist 620_95375_Ch1.indd 10 3/20/06 3:50:00 PM

11CHAPTER 1 DEMONIC LORE Calling versus Summoning: Note the difference between calling and summoning a fi end. A summon monster spell can temporarily draw a fi end out of the Abyss and force it into service, but it takes a calling effect, such as the gate spell, to give a demon a permanent presence on another plane. When a summon monster or similar spell elapses, the creature returns to the Abyss unharmed, despite any efforts or action taken by it or the spellcaster. A dispel magic spell, or a similar effect, can also send the creature back prematurely. A spell or ritual calling a demon forth transplants the creature onto the plane indefi nitely. Only a more powerful spell, such as banishment can send a fi end back to the Abyss. Fiendish Portals As mentioned in the Dungeon Master’s Guide and expanded upon in Planar Handbook, portals and “leaks” between planes exist all over the universe. Sometimes, the Abyss opens a portal between itself and another plane (often the Material Plane) that allows Abyssal denizens to escape. These runaway fi ends immediately begin looking for areas they can haunt and creatures they can terrorize and kill. Usually, these fi endish portals open in places that have seen great evil, destruction, or cataclysms (natural or magical), or possibly in secluded, hidden areas where evil can grow and thrive, such as the following. • Underground caverns • Torture chambers • Sites of human/sapient sacrifi ce • Battlefi elds • Mountain caves disturbed by avalanche • Fissures opened by earthquakes • Active volcanoes • Abandoned villages or large dwellings • Deep forests • Tombs The use of evil artifacts, the performance of gruesome sacrifi ces, and the destruction of nearby good and lawful elements all play into the Abyss’s strategy. Wherever evil exists, the Abyss fi nds it and sends out its creatures. Once through a fi endish portal, demons and other creatures do what they can to bring forth more elements of the Abyss. Often, fi endish portals close behind these “exploratory forces,” which then must perform certain tasks to reopen the portal. Fortunately for adventurers eager to dispel these creatures, fi endish portals on the Material Plane have tenuous connections with the Abyss, at best. Often, the deaths or banishment of the demons already through the portal closes it. Sanctifying the area can help keep the portal from reforming. Unfortunately, the fi ends fi ghting to reopen the portal (or keep it open) often take steps to avoid its subsequent closure. Many attract mortals in search of power to aid them in their rituals, which only strengthens the chaos and evil of the area. Some build powerful keys (in the form of magic items) and use them to “lock” the portal open; only by fi nding and destroying the keys can the PCs close the door. DEMONIC ROLES As manifestations of chaos and evil, demons seem easily slotted into world roles. True, they tend toward wanton mischief and malevolence, but they can cause havoc in any number of ways, sometimes as a lone brute or barely fettered minion early on in an adventure, or even as the nearly unassailable foe at the climax of a dangerous quest. Demons cover a wide range of roles, taking advantage of whatever opportunities present themselves and using their intelligence and varied powers to succeed. Running a fi ght or an adventure involving fi ends isn’t easy. The following roles—Assassin, Brute, Corruptor, Manipulator, and Overlord—can help clarify your vision for demons in your game. Use these classifi cations to shape possible fi endish encounters and adventure roles, but not to limit them. The tactics presented in this section illustrate some ways demons fulfi lling different roles in the game might approach encounters. Some roles are very combat-centric and describe in detail how different fi ends act during an encounter, while other role descriptions focus on a demon’s part in an adventure. Specifi c demons serve as examples to illustrate how many different demons can fi t into a variety of roles. No demon encounter should be cookie-cutter simple. THE ASSASSIN The Assassin strikes at the heart. Spot enemy, dispatch enemy—that is the demonic Assassin’s creed. The Assassin demon often employs stealth or trickery, but it wears chaos like a cloak and uses evil cruelty as its shield. The term “Assassin,” as used here, refers to a specifi c demonic role, not the prestige class of the same name (DMG 180), pqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqrs pqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqrs CHARACTERISTICS OF DEMONIC PRESENCE Brutal and direct as they are, demons can act subtly when required. Thus, spotting a demonic portal or an area corrupted by demons isn’t always easy. The following characteristics might show up in an area touched by the Abyss, but not always. • Organic, foul structures (walls and floors made of hardened flesh) • Hauntings by chaotic evil spirits (souls brought or captured by the demons) • Illogical or impossible features (insides of buildings larger than outside, labyrinthine mazes) • Inexplicable weather or other seemingly natural disturbances (snow in summer, earthquakes in areas not known for such disturbances) • Blood and gore found where no deaths have occurred (filling a well or oozing down walls) • Animals or crops dying for no reason • Magic items functioning strangely (wands exhibit unusual displays, such as a wand of magic missiles that fires sickly green bolts instead of its normal bolts of brilliant blue energy) • Lawful and good creatures feeling paranoid, distracted, or even inexplicably ill • Chaotic and evil creatures drawn to the area (some at the behest of the demons, others just in response to the evil and chaos) • Natural animals turning aggressive or violent (possibly even changing into dire versions) 620_95375_Ch1.indd 11 3/20/06 3:50:09 PM

12CHAPTER 1 DEMONIC LORE although demonic Assassins might qualify for one or more levels in this prestige class. While all demons are killers, those in the Assassin’s role elevate their love of death to new levels. To most demons, killing is something they do as a climax to destruction. Many draw death out, hoping to cause more pain and suffering along the way. Not the Assassin. The Assassin strikes with only death in mind. If that death can cause chaos and pain, so much the better, but killing remains the primary concern. More often than not, Assassin fi ends fi nd themselves working for nondemons and sometimes even for nonchaotic “employers.” Most demons fi nd killing for its own sake . . . dull. In contrast, the Assassin gains little reward in lingering death and destruction—only the quick kill, over and over again. Still, a fi end sent with a single purpose (to kill) is still a demon, and that makes a fi endish Assassin different from its mortal brethren. Where most assassins and hired killers work hard to use stealth and guile for the safe murder of a relatively defenseless opponent, the demon Assassin prefers a more “shock troop” mentality. It can use stealth to move into position, or to make the assassination more effective, but it prefers to strike the killing blow in full view, enjoying the horror it sees on its victim’s face and the helplessness of those nearby. Fortunately for nonchaotic creatures everywhere, few demons have the discipline to fi ll the Assassin role. Demonic traits and abilities make them frighteningly good at the mechanics of assassination, but their chaotic nature usually slows their progress along this line. Possible Assassins Here are a few examples of how well some kinds of demons align with the Assassin role. *See Chapter 2 for statistics. Assassin Combat Tactics The Assassin demon can come into play when the characters (or one in particular) prove particularly diffi cult to control. The fi end’s master usually sends in other troops to distract or occupy the PCs while the Assassin readies itself to eliminate a particular foe. In an encounter, an Assassin demon might use the following strategy. Round 0—Into Position: Move into position to spot your target or targets. (This can happen in the heat of an existing battle.) If you have any abilities that make you diffi cult to perceive, use them now. Your “allies” have their own agenda and probably don’t even know you’re around, so don’t give yourself away. If possible, approach from an unexpected direction. Example (Babau Assassin): Use your excellent Hide and Move Silently abilities (at +19 each for a CR 6 creature) to lurk in the shadows and maneuver around the party toward your target. If you aren’t certain which character is your target, you can Listen (+19) for clues from the group. Also use invisibility, just in case an extra foe is out there. Watch and see where the battle can aid you in your approach. Are any PCs moving outside of healing range? Are any leaving sight of the rest of the party? This can work to your advantage. Round 1—Breed Chaos: Remember, you’re a demon! If you can do anything to increase the chaotic nature of the battle, the confusion will help you move in on your target. This tactic can involve using a spell-like ability from hiding, or triggering a prearranged trap. Don’t worry about injuring or inconveniencing your “allies,” who shouldn’t even know you are here. What do you care, anyway? As long as you fi nish the job, you please your master. Example (Babau Assassin): If you have chosen the battlefi eld— say, a dank cavern or dungeon room—you might have a few preset traps to spring. Using a deadfall or pit trap to divide the party can be very helpful, but if you don’t have anything preplanned, your darkness ability should confuse and disorient your target’s allies just fi ne. Be careful how you use it, however. Surrounding all the characters in darkness at this point might be possible, but you can also use this ability to misdirect your enemies’ attention. Closing off the far side of the battlefi eld (and, perhaps, half the PCs) might make them think the threat comes from elsewhere. Meanwhile, continue to use stealth to close in on your target. Also, remember that you can’t use sneak attack against a foe with concealment, and darkness still affects you despite your darkvision. Round 2—Soften Them Up: If you have any ranged attacks, especially those that don’t attract attention to your position, use them now. Ideally, continue to direct attention away from yourself and toward other parts of the battlefi eld. You might want to injure healers and spellcasters at this point, since they can react better at range to your upcoming assault. If you have no effective ranged attacks, continue to close in. Example (Babau Assassin): This is a great opportunity to use one of your most effective tricks to set up your assault: Use dispel magic on your target. If you’re positive your foe doesn’t have any protective spells active, use the ability to attempt to suppress a magic item (armor, in particular). This spell-like ability weakens your target, and he won’t know where it comes from. It will alert him to danger, however, so be ready to attack. An alternative to the dispel magic gambit is to summon another babau, probably as far on the other side of the battlefi eld as you can manage. While you won’t want to give pqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqrs pqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqrs BEHIND THE CURTAIN: OPTIMAL VERSUS INTERESTING While any decent DM can sit down and turn an encounter with a fiend into a disturbingly dangerous battle, the combat tactics described here emphasize interesting encounters over optimal tactics. If you look in the Monster Manual, you will see an excellent tactics section outlining just how tough a balor can be. But if a DM works to make every fight as tough as possible, flavor can sometimes drain out of the game. Demons fight smart, but they are creatures of chaos. By utilizing tactics based on individual roles, DMs can create many different kinds of encounters—all interesting, all deadly, and (hopefully) all fun to play. Archetypical Assassins babau blood fi endFF chasme* kelvezuMM2 glabrezu nabassu* yochlol* Interesting Assassins arrow demonMM3 bar-lgura* jovocMM2 marilith maurezhiFF quasit succubus Unlikely Assassins armanite* goristro* hezrou mane* nalfeshnee sibriex* 620_95375_Ch1.indd 12 3/20/06 3:50:16 PM

13CHAPTER 1 DEMONIC LORE away your own nature to the target, another set of claws at this juncture could be welcome. Round 3—Attack: Spring from hiding and assault your target. If you have the ability to move and attack multiple times, do so. Otherwise, set yourself up to infl ict as much damage as possible. If your target is lightly armored and you have achieved surprise, you might be able to end this battle right here. More likely, however, you’re going to start with your best assault and follow up next round. Example (Babau Assassin): Spring from hiding and use sneak attack on your surprised opponent. While this is tricky in the heat of combat, you should be striking after a successful Hide check, or possibly into darkness. If any of your “allies” remain to distract your target, you could gain a fl anking bonus. Because you can cause sneak attack damage, it is important that your strike hit home. However, if possible, still try to use your Power Attack feat. You have had the opportunity to use dispel magic and size up your opponent, so you should know the odds. If you think you can afford to shift your entire base attack bonus into damage for this assault, do so. Round 4—Decide Quickly: Was your attack devastating? Is your opponent reeling from the surprise assault? Or did all your plans come to naught and now you’re alone amid enemies? If the latter is true, you need to change the rules again and possibly do something few demons would ever do this early in a confl ict—retreat and regroup. Still, you are a demon, so use chaos to your advantage. Powerful spell-like abilities can help you cause more confusion on the battlefi eld here, but don’t engage in a long combat, exchanging blows with an entire party of characters. You’re here for a mission, so make sure you fulfi ll it. Example (Babau Assassin): Your target still lives. If you did hurt the character signifi cantly, keep at it. You have your protective slime to damage your foes’ weapons, and hopefully they can’t all swarm you at once. If you’re lucky enough to fl ank your target, go at it again, and this time, don’t worry as much about using Power Attack. You have three melee attacks, and if you make all three from a fl anking position, that’s three sneak attack attempts. Your target shouldn’t survive that. Round 5 and Beyond—Assassin, Not Brawler: Because you spent a few rounds setting up your strike, you might fi nd yourself entering round fi ve with a living foe. Don’t be discouraged, but don’t be stupid either. If you give your foe’s allies an opportunity to swarm you, that won’t help. Use your movement abilities to either stick close to your target for follow up attacks, or to remove yourself to a safe position. As mentioned in round four, you aren’t here to fi ght the PCs—you’re here to kill someone. Do it and escape, or at least set yourself up for a future assault. Example (Babau Assassin): If you don’t think you can kill your target this round, you should consider using greater teleport to retreat to a nearby position. If possible, move somewhere you can still hear, and possibly see, your opponents. You want to sneak up on them again, probably as they mop up the rest of their foes or recover from the battle. If you can catch them unawares, you might still complete your mission. Use your telepathy to listen in on their plans as well, or possibly communicate with any remaining “allies” you have. They might not be pleased with you, but they are grunts sent by the master, so they will fear you. Assassins in the Campaign When the PCs reach the point in an adventure when one or more powerful foes know they’re coming, a good DM allows his villains to become proactive. Assassin demons represent a serious investment by a villain. Since few demons possess the temperament of true Assassins, a villain must have extraordinary resources to employ one or more of these foul creatures. Setting up a good Assassin encounter challenges the characters and lets them know that their foes aren’t just going to sit back and let someone defeat their villainous schemes. Assassin encounters can also initiate adventure. Perhaps a character isn’t the target of an Assassin demon. If the PCs fi nd themselves in the company of (or charged with protecting) an NPC, they might take it personally when that person is assassinated. The Assassin encounter described above works especially well if the PCs engage their foes without thought of protecting their NPC charge, and the Assassin fi end slips pqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqrs pqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqrs SIX TRUTHS ABOUT DEMONS While all demons are different, with their own goals, strategies, and powers, a few characteristics are common to almost all of these Abyssal fiends. 1. Demons are very intelligent. With few exceptions (the dretch being first and foremost), most demons have better than average Intelligence and Wisdom scores, not to mention impressive Charisma scores. 2. Demons have more abilities than they need. Most fiends have more supernatural and special abilities than they will use in a typical combat, and many of these abilities are “at will.” For example, a marilith that doesn’t spend six seconds every so often using magic weapon on its longswords deserves what it gets when the adventurers pop out from behind the tapestry. 3. Where there’s one demon, there’s usually more. Yes, demons are chaotic and selfish, but they do have social skills . . . of a sort. If a lone hezrou finds itself stuck on the Material Plane, it can always summon help from home. Demons (particularly non-tanar’ri) that can’t summon other fiends are usually more pack-oriented or work with nondemons. True, the lone quasit might flit about a dungeon looking for trouble, but it probably knows where to run if adventurers catch it at its mischief. 4. Running away is not only smart, it can also be fun. Demons love bloodshed, but they also revel in pain and suffering. Fiends often have many ways of escaping encounters that become too dangerous. In fact, it’s a wonder that nalfeshnee even have feet, what with their greater teleport ability. On occasion, fiends can also see greater profit (or at least, more amusement) in leaving a fight while the outcome is still in doubt. Don’t worry; they will usually return, though. 5. Demons are “odd job” specialists. Few demons are onetrick ponies. Nearly all have a variety of skills and enough evil cunning to allow them to exploit any situation to their advantage. Unreliable servant, disloyal henchman, whim-driven master—a demon can fulfill all these roles, sometimes at the same time. 6. The Abyss calls to them. First and foremost, demons exist to spread chaos and evil—the nature of the Abyss. If demons expect to be on the Material Plane for long, they will often either find places reminiscent of their chaotic homes or create them. Fiends like to open portals to the Abyss—not only for reinforcements, but to expand the influence of chaos and evil throughout the planes. 620_95375_Ch1.indd 13 3/20/06 3:50:22 PM

14CHAPTER 1 DEMONIC LORE in and dispatches its target before they can do anything. Assassins in adventures don’t just kill—they challenge the characters to think more carefully about their actions. Assassin fi ends don’t work as well with other demons because of their differences in chaotic philosophy. However, disciplined Overlord demons do employ them, and a Manipulator might occasionally work with an Assassin fi end. Corruptors view the Assassins’ tactics as wasted opportunity, while Assassins liken the Corruptors’ methods to playing with your food. In particular, Brutes and Assassins do not work well together. While the Brute likes to have extra fi repower around, and Assassins love the potential for distraction or fl anking bonuses, they dislike each other’s way of fi ghting. Brutes think Assassins are too cautious and deliberate (which they equate with “cowardly”), while Assassins feel Brutes are shortsighted grunts unable to recognize the chaos caused by a single murder. Battling an Assassin One of the most challenging foes any group of characters will face, an Assassin fi end presents them with a unique set of problems. The Assassin demon comes looking for trouble (as most demons do), but doesn’t simply present itself as a foe ready to die for its cause. By the time the PCs know they’re fi ghting an Assassin, it might be too late for strategy to be of any use. However, outsmarting or outmaneuvering an Assassin demon can be even more rewarding than simply hacking apart an evil foe. A party that uses the following general battle strategies will be more likely to survive an encounter with a demon Assassin. Recognize Traps: Whenever a confl ict (either a fi ght or some other challenge) seems too easy, you’re being perceptive, not paranoid. If confronted by foes unable to seriously challenge you, or a task beneath your abilities (possibly something as simple or cliché as moving a fallen log out of the road), expect a trap. On the many occasions you’re wrong, you will at least stay in practice. On the one occasion you’re right, you will save your skin. Use discipline and careful, back-covering tactics even when fi ghting easy opponents. Save your fi repower for the real trouble ahead. The Buddy System: Whenever you go into a combat against creatures that can teleport, turn invisible, summon others of their kind, or employ a host of other dangerous, unpredictable abilities, use communication to avoid untenable situations. If you can see and talk to at least one other member of your party, and that person is within a single move of your position, you’re in decent shape. The more you can expand your “buddy” network, the more diffi cult it is for an Assassin (or anyone else) to pick you off. When your mission includes protecting an NPC, double the buddy grouping, such that at least two PCs are within sight and reach of that character at all times. Band Together: When something unexpected happens on the battlefi eld, particularly something that changes the terrain or makes it more diffi cult for you to link up with your companions, the Assassin gains a tremendous advantage. Do whatever you can, as quickly as possible, to defeat this new challenge and regroup with your allies. This might mean forgoing a killing stroke or allowing a wounded foe to escape, but it’s better that you and your allies live than another enemy die. Capture Your Foe: Assassin demons actually have some instinct for self-preservation, unlike most other fi ends (except for the cowardly dretch). Granted, they usually wish to stay alive and active so they can fulfi ll their “contracts,” but they also take pride in their unique role among demon kind. If you can capture an Assassin, or (better yet) trick it into fl eeing back to its master, you might be able to learn more about your enemies. Demons seldom give anything up under interrogation, but they can be tricked, and they have little loyalty to any master beyond the Abyss itself. Fear and hate motivate demon kind, so use that to your advantage. THE BRUTE The brute’s weapons of choice include physical strength and overt displays of power of any kind. A fi endish brute starts any encounter with its most damaging attack and likes to wade into combat so it can feel the pain and fear of its enemies. All demons have some element of the brute inside them. Demons like expressions of overt power, and few shy away from direct combat when it is offered. More so than any other kind of demon, however, Brutes take demonic savagery a step farther, often sacrifi cing safer, more assured victories for the visceral joy of killing. Demonic roles: a hezrou Overlord with a dretch in tow as a succubus Manipulator whispers in its ear Illus. by T. Baxa 620_95375_Ch1.indd 14 3/20/06 3:50:29 PM

15CHAPTER 1 DEMONIC LORE Brute demons often find themselves in the service of others—either more powerful demons (perhaps a Manipulator or an Overlord) or a powerful mortal summoner. Most summoned demons also default to the Brute role, simply because that’s what their temporary masters require. Despite their seeming simplicity, do not discount the tactics or intelligence of a Brute. Remember, most demons are intelligent. Even a Brute demon won’t give up its advantages in ability and intelligence simply to infl ict more direct damage. True, some demons that fi t nicely into the Brute role won’t have that intellect to fall back on, but don’t automatically assume that “Brute = Stupid.” Yes, they are . . . direct, if anything, but that doesn’t necessarily mean foolish. While they might fi ght to the death, they generally do so only when caught up in the heat of battle. Possible Brutes Here are a few examples of how well some kinds of demons align with the Brute role. *See Chapter 2 for statistics. Brute Combat Tactics Be direct. Go all-out. Get your claws dirty. That’s the Brute philosophy. In an encounter, a Brute demon might employ the following strategy. Round 0—Buff Up: Before the fi ght, use as many spelllike or supernatural abilities to enhance yourself as possible. If you have a master or a spellcasting ally, have them cast spells such as bull’s strength, cat’s grace, and bear’s endurance on you. Spells such as displacement or spells that raise your armor class are likewise good choices, since you’re there to soak up attacks and damage. Still, spells that enhance your damage reduction or spell resistance can also help a lot. Example (Nalfeshnee Brute): Luckily, your unholy aura ability makes you better able to survive attacks. Since you can use this spell-like ability at will, don’t worry about the relatively short duration. Just refresh it whenever necessary. Round 1—Fire Salvo: If you have an ability capable of dealing damage in an area, or any sort of ranged attack, use it now to blast as many of your opponents as possible. Go after the weaker or less heavily armored ones fi rst. You aren’t likely to fight them hand-to-hand, so this might be your only opportunity to hit them. Then, move into a position where you can reach as many foes as possible, even if this means giving up fl anking. If you have reach, set yourself up so that you will have attacks of opportunity on spellcasters or those who might try to pass by you. You want a full attack next round, if possible. Finally, if you can, move into a position where you threaten any divine spellcasters. Clerics, and to a lesser extent, paladins, can cause you the most grief with their combination of healing abilities, smites, good-aligned spells (such as holy aura or holy smite), and banishment spells. Example (Nalfeshnee Brute): Use call lightning on bunchedup opponents who you think will have the most trouble surviving such an attack (heavily armored foes, clerics, and arcane spellcasters usually have below average Refl ex saves, for example), then rush forward to engage a cleric or other divine spellcaster. Try to keep as many enemies within your 15-foot reach as possible, forcing them to incur attacks of opportunity if they wish to maneuver. Ideally, you move to engage the same group you previously damaged with your ranged attack. Round 2—Concentrate Attacks: Execute a full attack on one opponent, using Power Attack or any sort of “rider” attacks (such as Stunning Fist or Improved Grapple), as appropriate. Focus on the cleric of the group (or another divine spellcaster) when possible. Also, try to put yourself in position to take attacks of opportunity against other spellcasters or those who might try to help your target. Example (Nalfeshnee Brute): If you have engaged a cleric or paladin, shift half of your base attack bonus to damage using your Power Attack feat and hope that three attacks at +13/+10/+10 result in at least one successful hit (at CR 14, you still have to roll well, but this offsets your relatively low hand-to-hand damage). Don’t worry, your various tanar’ri resistances will keep you alive long enough for a few rounds of this, but don’t push it longer than necessary. Round 3—Killing Blow: This round, try to fi nish off the divine caster you’re fi ghting. If another of your opponents is badly wounded, fi nish him off and take him out of the fi ght. If none of the nearby enemies looks damaged enough to take out with a single blow, you might want to incur an attack of opportunity and chase down a weaker target. This tactic not only gives you a chance of lowering your number of opponents, but can also disrupt their plan of attack. Example (Nalfeshnee Brute): Reassess the situation and see if you need to adjust your tactics. If possible, strike a killing blow on one of your opponents, using Cleave to gain a followup attack on another foe. However, if you previously missed your primary opponent (or didn’t wound him signifi cantly), consider using your smite ability, possibly dazing all of your enemies. Alternatively, you could just take another full attack action. However, you might need to shift to a weaker or more wounded opponent or cut down on your use of Power Attack at this point. Either way, try to cause as much damage to a single opponent as possible. Round 4—All or Nothing: As a demon, you likely have multiple spell-like abilities, so it might be time to show off a second attack. If the fi ght is going well, simply call down whatever high-damage, area-affecting ability you have, which will possibly drop another opponent and spread damage out to the rest of the characters. Then, reposition yourself to overwhelm any PCs wavering on the edge of consciousness. If the battle is going poorly at this point, it might be time to cut and run. If you have any good exit abilities (such as greater teleport), you don’t need to fl ee outright, though. You want to leave the characters hurt, so implement an attack that allows you to set up an escape. Example (Nalfeshnee Brute): If you haven’t used smite already, use it now. This sets you up for a retreat, if one is necessary, while giving you enough time to take a few more shots at a weakened opponent. Your ultimate goal is to take down that paladin (or fi ghter) you began fi ghting in round 2, but don’t keep beating on a wall you can’t break through. Archetypical Brutes abyssal evisceratorMH armanite* bar-lgura* bebilith bulezau* goristro* hezrou rutterkin* vrock Interesting Brutes glabrezu marilith maurezhiFF nalfeshnee palretheeMM2 zovvutMM2 Unlikely Brutes dybbuk* guecubu* lilitu* succubus 620_95375_Ch1.indd 15 3/20/06 3:50:38 PM

16CHAPTER 1 DEMONIC LORE Round 5 and Beyond—Fighting Retreat: If your battle goes on this long, now is the time to pull out all the stops. Any 1/day special damaging abilities, tricky combat maneuvers, or other ways to hurt (not just kill, hurt) the PCS is fair game. If you haven’t knocked out the toughest opponent yet, you’re probably impatient for a kill, so target the weakest-looking character or an obvious healer and blast away with whatever you have left. True, you generally like to use your physical attacks, but right now, it’s time to kill. Wait until the last moment to escape, possibly using greater teleport or some other escape strategy when reduced to fewer than 10% of your hit points. Example (Nalfeshnee Brute): As a nalfeshnee Brute, Improved Bull Rush is your ultimate escape tactic. Yes, greater teleport would remove you more certainly, but this way, you can take someone with you. On your action, bull rush an opponent (hopefully over a cliff or into a dangerous or at least precarious terrain position) and move into the open. Now, in subsequent rounds, you can use call lightning to attack faraway targets or greater teleport to escape. Brutes in the Campaign Brutes make great adventure fodder. True, a single, powerful Brute can be a good session-ending encounter, but Brutes can also be encountered at less critical times. Powerful villains often send Brutes out to rampage, raid, cause havoc, and damage opponents. Usually, their activities serve as a prelude to confl ict. Brutes also serve as bodyguards for other fi ends (usually Manipulators and Overlords) and are the antithesis of Assassins and Corruptors. Battling a Brute From a PC’s perspective, Brutes represent basic demon philosophy (chaos, damage, and rage) and present themselves as relatively straightforward encounters. However, that doesn’t make defeating them any easier. In order to survive combat with a deadly Brute, characters should employ the following tactics. Wolf Pack: Often, PCs line themselves up and attempt to take on foes in a very orderly fashion, protecting the weakest party members and using their heavily armored “tanks” to absorb blows. Brutes look at this as an invitation to focus on one or two party members after blasting everyone with area attacks (if they have them). Instead, surround a Brute and do as much damage to it as possible as quickly as possible. This sounds very basic, but the Brute is more likely to engage physically for a longer period of time than most other demons. Using the wolf pack tactic can turn a relatively healthy demon into a smoldering corpse before it can change tactics. Stick and Move: The Brute wants to go toe-to-toe with a powerful foe, and you want to deny the Brute what it wants. Instead, use attacks and maneuvers that force the Brute to move and give up its full attack option. This tactic frustrates the Brute, and while it can prompt the demon into using powerful magical attacks, it still throws the Brute off its game. Taunt and Humiliate: Whenever you have a Brute at a disadvantage, attempt to enrage it, enticing it to stay in combat longer than it should and perhaps reveal what it knows about its master’s plans. Again, demons aren’t stupid (usually), so even a mere Brute might know something valuable. When taunted, an angry Brute might very well rant back at its foes. One fi nal note: When confronting a particularly intelligent or savage Brute that is seemingly unconcerned for its own safety, suspect a summoner. A summoned fi end has no fear, since it knows it will return to the Abyss unharmed, no matter what happens. In this case, a successful dispel magic (or greater dispel magic) can end the encounter immediately. However, with a summoner in the picture, you might face many, many more Brutes before the end of the adventure. THE CORRUPTOR Power corrupts, and fiends enjoy corruption. The Abyss reaches out through Corruptor demons to twist mortals and the Material Plane into mirror images of itself. The Corruptor does not revel in overt destruction, but in lasting decay. The Corruptor subtly brings the Abyss to the Material Plane. While it does employ temptation and lures beings into its infl uence with offers of favors and service, the Corruptor’s chaotic evil nature keeps it from living up to all of its longterm bargains. While demons are known for impulsiveness, as ageless creatures, Corruptors have learned to look at least a short time into the future, recognizing that a little patience now might pay off with more chaos later. Corruptors usually set up a base of operations somewhere on the Material Plane, fi nding or creating lairs reminiscent of their home plane. Indeed, Corruptor demons seek to corrupt more than just living creatures. They endeavor to change the Material Plane, and all other planes, into refl ections or extensions of the Abyss. A haunted castle, a bottomless well, a labyrinthine maze of caverns hidden in a nearby hillside—any of these places could be home to a demonic Corruptor. Corruptor demons do venture out into the open, but they use disguises and possession (the ultimate demon weapon) to collect souls and change the land to benefi t their masters. No other demon serves the Abyss’s goals so directly while using such a seemingly nondemonic strategy. Possible Corruptors Here are a few examples of how well some kinds of demons align with the Corruptor role. *See Chapter 2 for statistics. Corruptor Combat Tactics As a Corruptor, you might face combat at the beginning or end of any . . . relationship. You aren’t a devil, so you don’t use word play or contractual tricks to snare your victims. You use force—the offer, the promise, the threat, and the application. Your goal is generally to manipulate others into serving your cause, willingly or unwillingly. As such, you usually don’t want to kill your enemy. You might want to make him beg, but you don’t want to kill him. Single Out Your Opponent: Corruptors set up lairs on the Material Plane for several reasons, but none are more important than gaining the home fi eld advantage. Use your knowledge of the dwelling you have prepared to lure in foes, separate them, and confront them separately. Minions, traps, and even simple terrain features make this remarkably easy. When you isolate a character, then you can bargain, threaten, Archetypical Corruptors glabrezu guecubu* nabassu (juvenile)* succubus Interesting Corruptors chasme* dybbuk* lilitu* marilith nalfeshnee Unlikely Corruptors armanite* babau ekolid* mane* 620_95375_Ch1.indd 16 3/20/06 3:50:44 PM

17CHAPTER 1 DEMONIC LORE or simply converse. Some useful skills in this endeavor are Hide, Move Silently, and Disable Device. Plant the Seed: Once you get one of your opponents alone, you can use one of many different tactics to begin the process of corrupting your new minion. Show Off: Make it obvious that anyone who attempts to fi ght you or refuses your offers of “help” faces only frustration, terror, and death. As a demon, you have special abilities and resistances your mortal victim can’t hope to emulate. Kill unimportant victims in sight of your target, showing that you mean business. Some useful skills in this endeavor are Bluff, Sense Motive, and Intimidate. Terrify Your Target:A devil might appear in a pleasing form, and a few of the best Corruptors (such as the succubus) can do this as well. However, you are a creature of power. At some point during the negotiations, you need to put the fear of chaos into your victim’s soul. Make it quite apparent that while he might gain access to demonic powers and abilities, he should be terrifi ed of crossing you. Demonstrating your abilities can help with this, and using your considerable Intelligence to decide what frightens your lowly target is essential. Some useful skills in this endeavor could be Intimidate, Diplomacy, and Sense Motive. Negotiation: Once you have separated and primed your target, move on to the negotiation. Remember, the best way to lure someone into your service is to make him feel like he’s getting something valuable in return. Here are a couple of ways to accomplish that. Provide Immediate Benefits: Nothing cements a good demonic bargain better than a few “free samples,” some of which can be good—and some of which can be very, very bad. If you feel you can tempt your victim with promises of power, let him try out whatever you’re offering. If he has an affi nity for strength, chaos, and evil, this can cement the bargain. Otherwise, providing a little negative reinforcement might be worthwhile. Show how you can use the powers you offer to destroy innocents (perhaps one or two of your victim’s friends). Some useful skills in this endeavor could be Intimidate, Bluff, and Sense Motive. Offer Something the Victim Wants: If you’re bargaining to spare the mortal’s miserable life, this is easy, but some Corruptors have diffi culty determining exactly what mortals will trade for their souls and service. Before you begin the negotiation, have a few things ready. If you wish to offer your personal services, show the mortal an easy way to summon or call you. You can always modify the rules later (perhaps requiring human sacrifi ce or other suitably evil acts), as your relationship solidifies. Have a few magic items on hand as well. If they contain demonic curses or evil spirits, so much the better. Some useful skills in this endeavor could be Diplomacy, Sense Motive, and Sleight of Hand. Corruptors in the Campaign Corruptors don’t simply show up at someone’s doorstep, offering the planes on a silver platter. A demonic Corruptor plans ahead, often observing a target for weeks or months before springing its trap. Sometimes, Corruptors work together, pursuing multiple targets, perhaps ones that are close friends. If they can tempt more than one person at the same time (especially if this eventually puts the mortals at cross purposes), this makes the ensuing chaos even sweeter. Additionally, Corruptors frequently rely on powers not commonly employed by other demons, such as possession. In fact, while PCs sometimes fi nd themselves the direct targets of Corruptor fi ends, more likely adventures include those where the characters have to prevent a Corruptor from taking over another individual or even a whole community or region. Possession is a powerful tool for Corruptors. Unlike other demons, they commonly begin an encounter by offering to possess a weakened, desperate, or power-hungry individual. By offering to become a known rider or mutterer (see Demonic Possession, page 21), the demon gives the mortal some of its power in exchange for a very subtle link to the Material Plane. The demon undoubtedly plans on eventually establishing more control over the possessed mortal, but it seldom tells its victim that up front. Object possession also makes for an excellent Corruptor tool. A Corruptor could possess an innocuous object (or even a dangerous one) and observe intended victims while they remain unaware of its presence. Some fi endishly clever Corruptors have been known to possess magic items (possibly pretending to be intelligent swords or rings), and gullible PCs often accept them at face value. When a Corruptor makes an offer to a mortal, it may be too late to refuse Illus. by A. Stokes 620_95375_Ch1.indd 17 3/20/06 3:50:51 PM

18CHAPTER 1 DEMONIC LORE THE MANIPULATOR Always looking for an opportunity, the Manipulator uses sweet words and gifts when claws and fangs won’t work. The power behind the throne, the fi gure behind the curtain, the whisper in the dark—the Manipulator enjoys being second in command until it can take unquestioned control. Few demons make good Manipulators, since chaos does not inspire careful planning and patience. Still, those that do follow this path follow it well. Manipulator fi ends often subsume their pride in deference to their schemes, often disguising themselves (either physically or simply in motive) and letting others think they run the show. While no demon likes to hide its power, the Manipulator often tries, allowing other demons or mere mortals to order it around and even abuse it while awaiting its chance to strike. The Manipulator supplies power, support, and advice, allowing its “allies” to take the risks. When the time is right, the Manipulator demon jumps in, often steering the action in a frighteningly different direction than its unknowing supporters could have anticipated. That said, Manipulators are still demons, so don’t expect extreme levels of patience and subtlety. Yes, like Corruptors, they are among the most intelligent and most patient of the chaotic evil crowd, but this goes only so far. Demons like immediate gratifi cation, and many a planner has abandoned its schemes for the immediate offer of blood and souls. As a result, most Manipulators put themselves in situations where they can directly participate in the chaos and destruction of their schemes—but they take lesser roles, hoping to disguise their true nature or powers until the end. Possible Manipulators Here are a few examples of how well some kinds of demons align with the Manipulator role. *See Chapter 2 for statistics. Manipulator Combat Tactics As a Manipulator demon, avoid being the central fi gure in combat. Participate as necessary, but try to remain in the background. If possible, subtly appear to be on more than one side and end up with the winners. Since encounters with Manipulator demons aren’t best expressed in combat terms, use the following general advice when running a fi ght involving a fi endish Manipulator. Appear Marginally Competent: Friends and foes alike should see you as a noncombatant and dismiss you out of hand. Still, you don’t want to appear too useless—no one wants an ally that can’t defend itself—but if you appear relatively nonthreatening, you can slip away or toward the protection of the winning side at the appropriate time. Some useful skills in this endeavor might be Bluff, Sense Motive, and Disguise. Don’t Appear Too Eager: It’s diffi cult for a demon to shy away from the deliciously chaotic nature of combat. Most demons lose control when they enter a battlefi eld—all that blood, screaming, and death. However, as a Manipulator, you have to avoid battlefi eld heroics, appearing to be an unwilling participant. Some useful skills in this endeavor might be Bluff, Diplomacy, and Hide. Let Others Fight for You: Cajole, taunt, or advise your allies to defend you and your interests. When possible, work to keep both sides guessing about where your true loyalties lie. This might be dangerous later on, but if things work out, you could defeat your enemies and weaken your rivals. If a situation threatens to get out of your control, don’t be afraid to pull back the cloak a little and show off your true power to weaker allies. Some useful skills in this endeavor might be Intimidate and Bluff. If All Else Fails, Sneak Attack: While you might not actually have a rogue’s sneak attack ability, when you feel things aren’t going well—or perhaps, when it fi nally seems time to bring your plan to fruition—spring your trap. Do everything you can to convince your most dangerous enemy that you’re harmless, you aren’t a foe, or you just want to be left alone. Then, betray him with the most devastating attack you can muster. Don’t rely on your natural abilities to do the job; set up a situation where you can attack your foe, push him off a cliff, and drop a 16-ton weight on his head. Make him think you’re on his side right up until that moment. Some useful skills in this endeavor might be Bluff, Move Silently, and Hide. Have a Handy Escape Route: Make sure you can get out of any combat faster than you got into it. Even if this damages your reputation with your “allies,” it’s more important for the Manipulator to escape and deceive another day. This often means giving up full attack actions, since you want to attack and move (when you have to attack at all). For this reason, teleport is always a Manipulator demon’s best friend. Manipulators in the Campaign One of the most entertaining demonic roles, the Manipulator can be friend, foe, ally, and enemy—all at once. A talented Manipulator demon uses magic and mundane abilities to deceive and maneuver PCs and villains alike, setting up a series of events designed to serve its interests and, since it is a demon, hurt others as much as possible. Manipulator demons like working with others and often take on several roles in an adventure, disguising themselves appropriately. Whenever possible, the fi end sets itself up as both best friend and worst enemy to the characters, using its role as confi dant to either side to betray both. The following adventure example shows how a Manipulator demon (specifi cally, a succubus) might employ its talents toward achieving fi endish ends. Adventure Hook: The Helpful Friend The PCs come to a village and fi nd chaos among the peasants. Several members of the community have disappeared—men, women, and children. One family has been particularly devastated; a woman’s husband, children, and father have all disappeared, one by one. She pleads for the PCs to help her. Very few of the villagers have any abilities to help seek out their lost neighbors in the wilderness. One woman, however, is a bard, and she reveals to the PCs that she has passed through the village many times and heard many tales about the surrounding area and the people within. She tells the characters of all the petty jealousies and Archetypical Manipulators dybbuk* lilitu* nabassu (juvenile)* succubus Interesting Manipulators babau chasme* glabrezu mane* marilith rutterkin* Unlikely Manipulators abyssal evisceratorMH balor bulezau* 620_95375_Ch1.indd 18 3/20/06 3:50:59 PM

19CHAPTER 1 DEMONIC LORE local legends she has heard over the years, as well as her suspicions regarding this information. She pays particular attention to the devastated woman, though carefully making excuses for anything bad she’s heard about the woman, her farm, or her family. If anything, she protests that the woman, whose entire family has disappeared, is the most innocent person in the village and the one least deserving of this tragedy. The bard, of course, is a Manipulator succubus. By playing the role of traveling loremaster and friend, she puts herself in a position to “assist” the PCs and steer their attention toward her own ends. She hopes to use them to reawaken suspicion and bad feeling among the villagers, stir up trouble in the wilderness, and perhaps bring a little bit of chaos to a once peaceful locale. Also, by singling out a particular victim for special protection, the succubus gives credence to her role as friend to the village. When the characters investigate and fi nd that the woman really is a paragon of virtue, the succubus appears good by association. As the investigations proceed, the succubus can take on other roles using her shapechanging abilities, luring the PCs down paths that lead to monsters, curses, and other dangers. She tries to grow close to one or more of the characters as well, hoping to set herself up for a liaison common to her kind. If she can enthrall one or more of the PCs, she can use them to take over the village and plunge the whole region into chaos. The succubus’s high Bluff, Diplomacy, and Disguise skills make it easy for her to assume multiple roles in the village and pass herself off as both friend and monster. Suggestion and detect thoughts also make it diffi cult for the PCs to pin her down or catch her in a lie. Though she avoids combat when she can, the succubus might slake a little bloodlust by summoning a vrock to stir up trouble. Unfortunately for the succubus, her lusts likely prove her undoing. A majority of the town’s disappearances can be traced directly to her energy drain appetites, and no matter how careful she is, her chaotic nature will make it hard for her not to display her trophies. Drained corpses and partially drained victims eventually appear, so the PCs might soon realize that their problems are not outside the village, but within. THE OVERLORD An Overlord occupies and controls. It commands troops, summons reinforcements, and dispatches foes with skill and finesse. The Overlord fi end masters its impulses for direct chaos and destruction, recognizing that it can more effectively sow dissention, distrust, entropy, and evil by bending others to its will. A demon makes a mercurial Overlord. Its love of chaos and absolute commitment to evil make it diffi cult for a demon to engender any sort of loyalty. However, by offering vast rewards and following up on those promises (mostly), Overlords attract mortals and other creatures that normally refuse to serve such dangerous leaders. True, a demon might sacrifi ce its minions for amusement or in the execution of a bizarre, nonsensical plan, but a servant that curries its Overlord’s favor can gain vast, disproportionate rewards as well. Like Corruptors, Overlords enjoy staking out territory, aping demon princes in their need to dominate locations as well as servants. When a fi end takes over a place on the Material Plane, it could become an Overlord, attracting followers and shaping its new home into an image of the Abyss. Possible Overlords The ultimate demon Overlord has always been the balor, but adventurers are more likely to encounter a number of hezrou demons acting as Abyssal sergeants before they ever confront one of those nightmarish beings. A hezrou knows how to organize underlings. On the Material Plane, it often uses its above-average intellect and impressive size to recruit less intelligent mortal followers, such as hill giants, trolls, and ogres. Here are a few additional examples of how well some kinds of demons align with the Overlord role. *See Chapter 2 for statistics. Overlord Combat Tactics As an Overlord, plan ahead. Take tactical advantage. Spend your allies and servants like resources—cleverly, but with no remorse. Lead by example, but remain free to escape. Disrupt your opponents and fi nish off the weak. Overlords see battles as giant chess matches—matches where they can fl ip over the board and ruin their opponent’s game at any time. With that in mind, an Overlord demon might employ the following strategy in an encounter. Round 0—Assemble Minions: Surround yourself with minions. Call in the guard, bring in corrupt servants, and use any abilities you have to summon more creatures to your side. An Overlord is an Overlord only when it has minions to direct. If possible, use spells or tactical choices to position yourself where you can see the battle, but where it is diffi cult for the opponent to engage you immediately. Example (Hezrou Overlord): Use round 0 to organize your followers with simple commands; then, try to summon more dretches. If you are successful, use these low-level minions to clog up entry and exit points, especially those that lead to your preplanned terrain advantages. The dretches won’t deal much damage to your foes, but the demon fodder can steer your foes toward your traps and distract them from your more powerful minions. Round 1—Acquire Targets: Unlike other generals, an Over lord demon wants to engage in battle, so by this time you’re probably eager to enter the fi ght. However, it’s best if you can resist these urges for a while longer. First, direct your troops, assess the threat, and use either a long-range offensive spell or a defensive spell that will muddle the fi ght for your foes. Invariably, you want to single out your counterpart in the rival forces (their leader), so you can destroy or overwhelm him while enjoying the battle. Still, if you can divert the enemy leader’s attention away from yourself at the same time, so much the better. Example (Hezrou Overlord): If your minions obey your commands, they should be swarming all over the enemy by now, hopefully forcing the characters to deal with many disparate confl icts at once. While your blasphemy ability probably seems tempting at this point, it might be wiser to launch a slightly less dangerous attack (such as unholy blight) to see how the party responds. A character who takes charge or obviously Archetypical Overlords balor hezrou klurichirFF marilith molydeus* sibriex* yochlol* Interesting Overlords ekolid* glabrezu lilitu* nabassu (mature)* nalfeshnee succubus Unlikely Overlords dretch babau jovocMM2 mane* rutterkin* zovvutMM2 620_95375_Ch1.indd 19 3/20/06 3:51:06 PM

20CHAPTER 1 DEMONIC LORE resists this attack better than the others should catch your attention. Meanwhile, keep using those minions to separate the party and move them around on the battlefi eld. Round 2—Outmaneuver Foes: While your minions continue to harass the party’s leader or its most mobile members, focus on controlling the battlefi eld and countering your foes’ strengths. Since you usually fi ght on a fi eld of your own choosing, now is the time to spring any traps or summon any hidden reinforcements you had waiting. Use these surprises to cut off the characters and restrict their movements. A foe that can’t move, can’t fi ght (at least not well). By now, you have almost certainly identifi ed the roles of the different party members and can focus on countering their special skills—thwarting spellcasters in the act of casting spells, rogues in their attempts to sneak attack, and monks trying to maneuver around the battlefi eld. Remember, you don’t have to do all these things by yourself; you have minions to help. Example (Hezrou Overlord): At this point, you hope your enemies are fi ghting several different battles at once. Your minions fall to their swords and spells everywhere, but at least they have served a purpose. Either use this round to position yourself for a devastating entrance to the melee, or strike the leader of the opposing force with blasphemy or call lightning and move into a protected position. Don’t let your foes engage you directly if you can help it. Round 3—Chaos Takes Over: You have been patient long enough; it’s probably time to take a more active hand. If your opponents are winning, wade in and even the odds. If your troops are ascendant, join the slaughter. But don’t forget: You are a general fi rst, a warrior second. Find an opponent that seems to be giving your troops diffi culty, or one out on the edge of combat, and engage. If possible, direct your minions into positions where they can shield you from the rest of your enemies. You enjoy gloating and intimidating your opponents, so use the shock value of your appearance to best effect. Alternatively, you can always immediately eviscerate an opponent to announce your presence. It’s all a matter of preference. Example (Hezrou Overlord): As a hezrou Overlord, you live for this round of combat. After successfully commanding your troops and separating one or more of your opponents from the pack, you have the opportunity for a particularly devastating attack. Open up this round with blasphemy on one foe at the edge of the fi ght, then move in between that opponent and his nearest ally, ideally close enough to hit both of them with your stench. With luck, you fi nd yourself in single combat with a sickened opponent and an equally sickened enemy nearby. Your minions should either break off their nearby fi ghts and maneuver to protect you from any counterattacks, or they should do what they can to keep faraway enemies busy. Round 4—Killing Stroke: Use your favorable position to eliminate an enemy you have already cut off from aid, positioning your minions to block or absorb rescue attempts by remaining foes. In this round, you function much like a Brute, although you are employing this tactic not only for maximum cruelty, but also to set up victory for yourself and your minions. If you can kill or capture an opponent at this point, you might consider withdrawing, even if you currently have the advantage. Either way, continue having your minions swarm your remaining foes to keep them busy. Example (Hezrou Overlord): A full attack on your sickened opponent might not fi nish it off (though you can use Power Attack to boost your damage), but it might. Use Improved Grapple to your double advantage. Your AC doesn’t go down when you grab an opponent, and ranged attacks now have a chance of hitting your grappled enemy. If there are any rogues or assassins among your foes, you need to watch out for sneak attacks, though your minions should be guarding your back. Demonic roles (left to right): the Brute, the Corruptor, the Assassin Illus. by T. Baxa 620_95375_Ch1.indd 20 3/20/06 3:51:12 PM

21CHAPTER 1 DEMONIC LORE Round 5 and Beyond—Assess and Act: Overlord battles often run to 5 or more rounds, simply because you fight more deliberately than most other kinds of demons (plus, you never fight alone). If you have killed or captured a foe, you might use later rounds to escape, using your demonic abilities to take prisoners or even corpses along with you. You defi nitely know the benefi t of escaping while the opportunity presents itself. However, if you fi nd yourself in a situation where you can’t—or simply won’t—retreat, fi gure out ways to gain reinforcements. If this is your last stand, you want as many minions around as possible. Even if you can’t bring forth powerful minions, simply try to clog up the battlefi eld with fodder. In subsequent rounds, use every method at your disposal to kill your enemy’s leader (or perceived leader). Now is when you really start to fi ght like a Brute, possibly taking risks even a Brute wouldn’t fi nd worthwhile. As an Overlord, you might fi ght to the death if doing so seems preferable to losing. Example (Hezrou Overlord): If you have managed to down one or two opponents, grab one and use greater teleport to leave the immediate area. If the fi ght’s going well, taking a round or two off to hide a future hostage or slave won’t hurt. If things aren’t working out the way you planned, this could be a good time to escape. The only exception to this situation is if you have your back against a wall (such as when you’re fi ghting in your own lair and have no other retreat). In the latter case, you had better start using gaseous form to move into a hiding place where you can deploy blasphemy, chaos hammer, and unholy blight until these annoying enemies die or retreat. It galls you to admit it, but building a big cave with a few tiny air holes in it might save you from any opponents you underestimate. Overlords in the Campaign Usually, Overlords play the role of “boss” during an adventure. Even if the Overlord is not the ultimate villain, it is at least a local general causing chaos and destruction. Overlords can also be sergeants or lieutenants of evil, using their tactics and their strategic knowledge to serve greater powers. Overlords serve other demons or mortals only slightly less often than Brutes. The best Overlords crop up multiple times in an adventure, using stronger and stronger minions to harass and “test” the adventurers, mocking them and taunting them at every occasion. These fiends stand between the characters and their goal, and unlike many foes, they usually know what the PCs are after. Overlords encountered in the beginning of an adventure often fast-forward through the sample tactics presented here, skipping to the “vengeful escape” and leaving with less frustration at fi rst, but with growing rancor as the PCs continue to overcome its forces. Overlords almost always have their own sanctums, usually constructed in the image of their home plane—chaotic and dangerous. Uneven terrain, dangerous pools of lava, and stinking gasses mark their lairs. Demon Overlords love living on the Material Plane because they can cause all kinds of havoc using their minions, their powers, and their connection to the Abyss. Overlords work well with Brutes and often command Assassins, but they dislike the complicated plots of Manipulators and Corruptors. An Overlord working for a Manipulator probably harbors resentment over this philosophical disparity, which clever characters might be able exploit. Naturally, Over lords often follow other Overlords, but like fiends everywhere, they gladly look for opportunities to advance their own power. Battling an Overlord Overlords make for exciting opponents, but sometime the greatest success the PCs can hope for is simply surviving. The characters must also decide quickly whether a battle with an Overlord is a climax or merely a prelude, or they could end up on the short end of a rather sharp stick. To survive combat with a deadly Overlord, the PCs should consider employing the following tactics. Stick Together: Standing side by side often invites area attacks, so this tactic can sometimes bring disaster. However, when confronted by the Overlord’s numerous minions, you need to keep your demonic foes from dictating your position and movement. Look for opportunities to knock down individual opponents and resist spreading out on the battlefi eld or allowing your team to be pushed apart. If you can draw the Overlord out using these tactics, you stand a better chance against it as a group than you do separately. Follow the Leader: Once you identify the Overlord, try to separate it from the protection of its minions or its tactical position. This could mean an outright retreat, or a dangerous trap exposing one of your party members. Cut the fi end off in any way possible. Spells such as silence can be quite potent in this regard, and nothing frustrates an Overlord more than not being able to direct its minions. If you force an Overlord to quit the battlefi eld earlier than it chooses, you have won at least a partial victory. Don’t Let It Escape: Notorious for effective smash-andgrab tactics, the Overlord wants to divide the party’s attention. If it can force you to try to rescue an ally—even a fallen one—it will, since that means you will be paying less attention to the rest of the battle. When an ally is badly wounded or separated from the rest of the party, try serving as a shield to keep the Overlord or its minions from fi nishing the job or abducting him. Exploit Its Weaknesses: While Overlords might sound very organized and tactical, they are still demons. You can’t beat them by defeating their minions and hoping they will pull out before they incur too many losses. They don’t care if every one of their servants dies. However, you can embarrass them. If you turn an ambush back on an Overlord, or make use of its own terrain advantage, it might grow fl ustered and retreat, or even lose its head and attack. Either way, you can put it off its strategy, which is always good. DEMONIC POSSESSION Sometimes a fi end with at least 4 Hit Dice and a Charisma score of at least 13 has the supernatural ability to shuck its physical form and take on an incorporeal one that enables it to possess other creatures—or even objects. Its incorporeal form has the immunities normal to that creature subtype (see Monster Manual III 214 for details). When such a fi end possesses a creature or object, even force effects no longer affect it. Only certain spells and abilities can affect a possessing fi end (see Exorcism, page 26, for details). Any other sort of attack—magical or otherwise—directed against the fi end affects the possessed creature or object instead. While a fi end is in incorporeal form, its corporeal body (assuming it has one) lies senseless, as if in a state of suspended animation. The body does not require food or air, but direct damage or exposure to an extreme environment can kill it. A fi end can roam incorporeally as long as it desires, but it dies if its body is destroyed. If a fi end’s body is attacked or moved while it is in this state, the fi end becomes immediately aware of the 620_95375_Ch1.indd 21 3/20/06 3:51:22 PM

22CHAPTER 1 DEMONIC LORE tampering and can return to its body as a free action. Furthermore, successfully casting dispel magic (or a similar effect) on its body forces it to return instantly to that vessel. The caster level for a fi end’s possession ability is equal to its Hit Dice. A fi end with this ability has a Challenge Rating 2 higher than standard fi ends of its kind. For example, a succubus with the possession ability is CR 9 rather than CR 7. A fi end can only move about in its incorporeal state on the plane where its body lies in stasis and the Ethereal Plane. Thus, a demon using this ability while its body is on a layer of the Abyss cannot possess a creature on the Material Plane. A fi end in this incorporeal form that moves around on its body’s plane has no access to its normal suite of abilities. It has its normal hit points and saving throw bonuses, but it lacks its extraordinary, supernatural, and spell-like abilities. It does retain its normal suite of melee attacks, but they are made as melee touch attacks, and it does not add its normal Strength bonus on damage rolls (since it has no Strength score while incorporeal). While incorporeal on the Ethereal Plane, it has its full range of special attacks and special qualities, attacks normally, and deals full normal damage. If a fi end’s incorporeal form is destroyed, the creature’s physical form remains in its comalike state for one week while its incorporeal essence reforms. After that time, it either awakens and can resume a normal physical existence, or it can launch its incorporeal form back onto the Ethereal Plane to seek out yet another host body. A fi end with the possession ability can move between its body’s plane and the Ethereal Plane as often as it likes as a free action. Once a fi end is on the Ethereal Plane, it fl oats through the world insubstantially, seeking a target to possess. If it moves to a plane other than the Ethereal Plane in this form, it is visible, but appears as a ghostly duplicate of its normal physical form. Making a possession attempt is a supernatural ability that the fi end can use at will as a standard action. If a victim successfully resists a possession attempt, it is aware that some outside entity forcibly attempted to gain control of its body, but not the source of the attack. POSSESSED CREATURES To use its possession ability, a fi end must be adjacent to its desired target and in incorporeal form. A protection from evil spell (or similar effect) makes any creature immune to possession attempts. An unprotected target must succeed on a Will saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 fi end’s HD + fi end’s Cha modifi er) to avoid possession. An evil target takes a –2 circumstance penalty on this saving throw, and a target that is actually committing an evil act at the time of the attempt takes a –4 circumstance penalty. The DM can roll the saving throw secretly to prevent a player from knowing whether or not his character has become possessed. Once a creature makes a successful save against possession, that fi end cannot attempt to possess that creature again for 24 hours. On a failed save, the victim is possessed. A fi end in possession of a body becomes part of the victim. It is aware of what is going on around the creature whose body it possesses and can see and hear as well as its victim can. A possessing fi end can, at any time, speak mentally to the creature it possesses in a language that creature can understand, although if the victim isn’t very intelligent, its comprehension might be limited. A creature possessed by a fi end doesn’t always know that it is possessed. Furthermore, a fi end can attempt to hide its presence within the possessed creature, so that it can pass through a magic circle against evil, enter a forbiddance-warded church, or escape detection by a detect spell or effect. To hide its presence, the fiend must succeed on a special “mental” Hide check using its Intelligence modifier rather than its Dexterity modifi er. The DC for this check is 10 + level of the spell from which it wishes to hide + spellcaster’s relevant ability modifi er (just like the saving throw DC of a spell). The fiend gains a +4 circumstance bonus on its Hide check if it is not currently controlling the victim. A possessing fiend has immediate access to all of its victim’s current thoughts, as though using the detect An ill-fated victim of possession . . . Illus. by W. O’Connor 620_95375_Ch1.indd 22 3/20/06 3:51:29 PM

23CHAPTER 1 DEMONIC LORE thoughts spell, except that it automatically reads surface thoughts. If desired, a possessing fi end can probe the possessed creature’s memories as well, but the victim is allowed a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 fi end’s HD + fi end’s Cha modifi er) against this effect. If the save is successful, the victim keeps the fiend out of his thoughts for 24 hours. Whether the save succeeds or fails, probing memories automatically reveals the fi end’s presence to the victim. Physical harm to the possessed creature does not harm the fi end. Killing the possessed victim forces the fi end’s incorporeal form back onto the Ethereal Plane, but it is unharmed and can attempt a new possession whenever it desires. Not even other inorporeal creatures can harm a possessing fi end. A fi end possessing a creature can take any one of six roles with respect to its victim: ally, controller, enemy, mutterer, rider, or transformer. The fi end can switch from one role to another as a free action. Ally: If the victim is aware of the possessing fi end and willing to serve as its host, the fi end can grant a +4 profane bonus to any one of the possessed creature’s ability scores. This bonus is granted at the conclusion of a bargaining period between the fi end and the possessed creature (they can communicate telepathically with each other). The fi end is in control of this bonus and can take it away as a free action if the possessed creature fails to act in a desired manner. If the possessed creature continues to disobey the fi end’s instructions, the fi end can go from ally to controller or from ally to enemy as a free action. Controller: In the most feared form of possession, a fi end can take a standard action to attempt direct control over its victim’s actions. The victim must succeed on a Will saving throw every round (DC 10 + 1/2 fiend’s HD + fiend’s Cha modifi er + 1 for each previous failed save against control that day) to avoid losing control of its own body. A successful save indicates that the victim has resisted the fi end, but the fi end can make another control attempt in the next round. A creature struggling against control is staggered (DMG 301) and can take only a single action in a round (either a move action or standard action). If the possessed creature makes three consecutive successful saving throws, the possessing fi end can make no further attempts to control it for 24 hours. However, the fi end still possesses the creature, regardless of the success or failure of any saving throws against control. If the possessed creature fails the Will save against control, the fi end has access to all the creature’s senses, abilities, skills, feats, and spell knowledge. The fi end now acts as though it is the possessed creature in all respects until control is relinquished or lost. During this time, the possessed creature can still communicate mentally with the fi end and receives all sensory input normally, unless the possessor takes a standard action each round to block the possessed creature’s access to its senses. If the fi end wishes, it can cause the victim to lose consciousness as a standard action (no save). This condition persists as long as the fi end remains in control or until it chooses to return the victim to consciousness (a standard action). While in control, the fi end uses its own Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores, but it adopts all the possessed creature’s physical ability scores. If a fi end with at least 9 Hit Dice and an Intelligence score of 15 or higher can maintain control for at least 10 rounds per day for seven consecutive days, it can also draw upon the possessed creature’s spelllike abilities and use them at the same caster level as the possessed creature did. The fi end retains the victim’s type and is affected by spells and effects as if it actually were the possessed creature. Thus, a demon-possessed wolf is subject to spells that affect animals, even though it is more intelligent than a normal wolf. The possessing fi end automatically maintains control of its victim for a number of rounds equal to 1/2 fi end’s HD + fi end’s Cha modifi er + 1 for each time the fi end has controlled this specifi c creature before. When the fi end’s control lapses, it can attempt to reassert control if it chooses. Fiends often choose weak-willed creatures, such as golems and other constructs, for their possession attempts. A construct can make a Will save just like any other creature to avoid possession, but it is likely that a possessing fi end can take and retain control because most constructs have poor Will save modifi ers. A fi end possessing a construct can aid it as described in the ally entry (see above) but must relinquish direct control to do so, allowing the construct to revert to its prior programming. Enemy: The opposite of an ally, this sort of possessor is a serious hindrance to its victim. The possessing fi end usually takes this role after failing to control its victim, or when the victim has made it angry by failing to follow its directives while it was acting as an ally. The possessing fi end can impose a –4 profane . . . could transform horrifi cally at any time Illus. by W. O’Connor 620_95375_Ch1.indd 23 3/20/06 3:51:40 PM

24CHAPTER 1 DEMONIC LORE penalty to any one of the victim’s ability scores. The fi end is in control of this bonus and can take it away as a free action. Typically, it removes the penalty after working out an agreement with the possessed creature through telepathic negotiations, and it might thereafter revert to an ally (a free action). Mutterer: A mutterer enjoys planting barely perceived whispers in its victim’s mind in an attempt to infl uence her actions and, with luck, drive her insane. A mutterer has the same characteristics as a rider (see below), except that every so often, the mutterer cajoles, criticizes, warns, or otherwise infl uences its host. These “mutterings” don’t always come in the form of words. Sometimes the demon passes on whatever strong, negative emotion it is experiencing to the victim, causing its host to feel frightened, anxious, angry, or sad without knowing why. Whenever a character possessed by a mutterer is alone or under extreme stress, the demon might strike (DM’s option). The character receives emotions, advice, or other “mutterings” and might feel the desire to act on them or try to “get them out of his head.” A character plagued by a mutterer must succeed on a Will saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 fi end’s HD + fi end’s Cha modifi er). Failure means the victim must either perform a specifi c action in response to the demon’s mutterings (DM’s option) or spend a round befuddled, as if under the effect of a confusion spell. A successful save leaves the victim in control of its mind and actions but does not automatically tip the demon’s hand—the host might still have no idea that it is possessed. Mutterers often drive their hosts insane, or at least give them the appearance of insanity because they have a diffi cult time not talking back to the voices in their heads. Creatures playing host to mutterers often appear agitated or exhausted (since some mutterers deprive their hosts of sleep), and many actually develop physical tics. Rider: Much of the time, a possessing fi end simply rides along with its victim, giving no clue as to its presence. The fi end might combine riding with hiding to get into an area protected by forbiddance or slip past a magic circle against evil near a target it could not otherwise approach. A fi end in the role of rider might eventually decide to take on the role of ally or controller instead. Doing so makes its presence known to the victim, although a victim with a low Intelligence score might not understand what is happening to it. Transformer: This demon wants to use its host to gain a foothold on the Material Plane. To that end, it utilizes its considerable power to transform all or part of any creature it possesses into its own demonic shape. This process usually takes considerable time and effort on the part of the demon, but the overall effect is devastating. A transformer demon can attempt only one change per day, and that change can never encompass more than one-quarter of the host’s body. Whenever it makes such an attempt, the host must succeed on a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 fi end’s HD + fi end’s Con modifi er) to resist the change. Failure indicates that some part of the host’s body transforms, either becoming identical to the corresponding portion of the possessing demon’s normal form or gaining some sort of fi endish physical characteristic (see the Fiendish Characteristics sidebar). Whether the initial save succeeds or fails, the host must immediately attempt a Will saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 fi end’s HD + fi end’s Cha modifi er). Success means that she can communicate this transformation (or attempted transformation) to others, and the demon cannot stop her from doing so in any way. Failure means the host attempts to conceal the transformation for as long as possible. Complete transformation takes at least four days (one for each quarter of the host’s body). Once a victim has been completely transformed, the demon has essentially taken the host’s place. At that point, the demon has access to all the powers and abilities it normally possesses. The victim is trapped within the demon—effectively functioning as a “rider” in the demon’s body—and can neither communicate nor exercise any power. Transformer demons seldom, if ever, leave their host bodies willingly. Killing a transformer demon slays the host but frees its soul for the purpose of a resurrection or raise dead spell. A transformer demon cannot be banished once it has fully changed its host, but it can still be exorcised. If the fi end is forced out of the host’s body by any means, the victim must attempt a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 fi end’s HD + fi end’s Cha modifi er). Success frees the character of the demon and returns her body to normal; failure means the victim dies of shock but can be raised normally. Some demon cults consider voluntary transformation a religious rite. In such cases, cultists possessed by transformer demons willingly fail saving throws to resist transformation. As is their nature, however, transformer demons often use full transformation as a “reward” for the cultists offering themselves for sacrifi ce. Using the Levels of Possession Possessed NPCs can present an entertaining challenge for the characters, but running possessed PCs makes life diffi cult for the Dungeon Master. However, this situation can be rewarding, as long as the DM allows the player a certain amount of control. The following tips might help. Allies and PCs: Only a rare PC can form an alliance with her possessor and still retain a nonevil alignment. Still, an unwary or desperate PC might try to bargain with a possessing demon. If a deal is struck, the demon should continue to prompt the character to perform more and more evil acts until she either rebels or becomes completely evil (usually becoming an NPC). Controllers and PCs: In general, this sort of possession should be limited to NPCs, since it takes the game out of a player’s hands. However, if the DM has reason to suppose that the characters can fi ght the demon off or the affected PC can resist control on a regular basis, this arrangement can make an intriguing storyline. If possible, allow the player to run the character even while he is possessed, but be careful—few players can truly act chaotic evil with respect to their own parties and still ensure that everyone enjoys the game. On the positive side, a PC/controller relationship can be used to end a demonic possession in a climactic way. Enemies and PCs: The enemy fiend works well as a possessor of PCs. This creature makes life difficult for its victim but does not really prevent her from doing whatever she desires. A player willing to roleplay this situation can add drama to the game for some time (although not indefi nitely). Furthermore, an enemy possessor can become an ally (and vice versa) if necessary. Mutterers and PCs: As DM, you might want to pass notes to the affected player or even apply secret modifi ers (usually +2 or –2) to the character’s d20 rolls to refl ect the mutterer’s growing infl uence over the character. If you know that the player in question can handle the intricacies of playing a possessed character, you might want to let him in on the secret early and keep the truth from the rest of the players for a while. 620_95375_Ch1.indd 24 3/20/06 3:51:50 PM

25CHAPTER 1 DEMONIC LORE Riders and PCs: If the PC has reason to suspect the demon’s presence, you might wish to give the player clues occasionally. Otherwise, its presence should remain a secret. Make sure the rider attempts to hide from the PCs whenever necessary. Transformers and PCs: This situation is quite diffi cult to run, but it offers a great deal of drama. The affected PC usually gains some interesting—if horrifi c—benefi ts and might be forced to hide the affl iction from others. In addition, she might have to deal with the possibility of a horrible death in a short period of time. When a transformer possesses a PC, all the characters should undergo a rollercoaster ride of situations and emotions as they race against the possessing demon’s attempts to transform and permanently inhabit their friend. POSSESSED OBJECTS A fi end can possess a magical or mundane object of at least Tiny size but no larger than Huge. An item that is held, worn, or carried by a character uses its owner’s Will saving throw modifi er to resist possession. An unattended magic item gains a saving throw as if a spell were being cast upon it. In either of these cases, the Will save DC is 10 + 1/2 fi end’s HD + fi end’s Cha modifi er. A possession attempt automatically succeeds against an unattended, nonmagical item. A fi end that successfully possesses an object becomes a part of that object. While so joined, the fiend can see and hear to a distance of 60 feet from the object, but it can’t use darkvision or blindsight, even if it ordinarily has these abilities. It remains vulnerable to spells that affect outsiders, extraplanar creatures, or evil creatures (such as holy word and holy smite), as well as mind-affecting spells and abilities. Physical attacks and most spells (such as fi reball) don’t affect the fi end, though they might affect the object. Damaging the object does not harm the possessing fi end, and if the object is destroyed, the fi end simply assumes its incorporeal form and can choose a new host object or creature. A fi end can attempt to hide its presence within a possessed object in order to pass through barriers, such as a magic circle against evil or a forbiddance effect, or to escape detection by means of spells such as detect evil. To determine its success, use the same rules as you would for a fi end hiding in a creature. If the spell in question ordinarily detects or targets only creatures, the fiend gains a +8 circumstance bonus on its Hide check because it is within an object. A fi end can also possess a quantity of substance that has no fi xed shape (such as a pool of water or a dust cloud) or is part of a larger object (such as a section of wall). The maximum amount of substance that a fi end can possess in this manner is an area or a volume no larger than 10 feet on a side. A fi end might choose to possess an item as the fi rst step toward possessing a character. The possessing fi end gets a bonus on attempts to possess a creature that carries, holds, or wears an item that it already possesses. For each consecutive day the possessed item was worn, held, or carried by the target before the possession attempt, the DC for the target’s Will save increases by 1 (maximum increase +10). A fi end possessing an object can take one of four roles with respect to its victim: controller, corrupter, enhancer, or watcher. These roles are defi ned below. The fi end can switch from one to another as a free action. Controller: The possessing fi end can control the movement of any object with moving parts, such as a wagon, clock, or crossbow. For example, a possessing fi end can make a wagon steer toward a pedestrian on a street or roll out of a stable with no horse pulling it, cause a clock to run slow (or even backward), or make a crossbow cock and fi re (but not aim or load itself). Possessed objects with wheels or legs cannot move faster than the fi end could move in its corporeal form. A possessing fi end with at least 10 Hit Dice and a Charisma score of 17 can force even an object with no moving parts (such as a table or a statue) to animate. The possessed object functions as an animated object (MM 13). However, no fi end can control an animated object that has a Challenge Rating higher than its own. Corrupter: A fiend in the role of corrupter causes the object it possesses to radiate an evil aura of a magnitude equal to its own (see the detect evil spell description, PH 218–219). Nothing about the object’s appearance suggests that it is possessed. Anyone touching the possessed object must succeed on a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 fi end’s HD + fi end’s Cha modifi er) or be affected as if by a bestow curse spell (caster level equals the fi end’s Hit Dice). However, the subject does not necessarily know he is cursed or that the effect came from the item. The curse lasts until removed with break enchantment, limited wish, miracle, remove curse, or wish, even if the fi end vacates the possessed object. A particularly crafty corrupter fi end might possess a small fountain to bestow its curse on anyone who touches or drinks the water. Similarly, a corrupter might possess a patch of ground, thereby delivering the curse to anyone who walks over it. Enhancer: In the role of enhancer, a fi end can enhance a Tiny or larger weapon or suit of armor as if it were magic simply by possessing it. The fi end can duplicate magic item pqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqrs pqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqrs FIENDISH CHARACTERISTICS When a character gains demonic characteristics—either from possession by a transformer demon or by some other means— certain mechanical benefits or drawbacks might come with his altered limbs. The exact mechanics are up to the DM, but the following table provides a few suggestions. A character might gain a benefit and no drawback, or a drawback and no benefit, or both a benefit and a drawback (provided that they don’t conflict) from a single transformation. Various combinations of effects are recommended for multiple transformations. PCs should not aspire to possession by a transformer demon, since such a creature can kill them fairly easily, given time. But the acquisition of benefits and drawbacks can make the fight against transformation that much more interesting. Affected Body Part Benefi t Drawback Claw/arm/hand Unarmed damage Loss of fine bonus manipulation ability All upper limbs Strength bonus Loss of fine manipulation ability Torso Natural armor Resistant to healing bonus Legs/lower Speed bonus Speed penalty body parts Head One spell-like Charisma penalty ability 620_95375_Ch1.indd 25 3/20/06 3:51:57 PM

26CHAPTER 1 DEMONIC LORE powers worth 2,000 gp per Hit Die it possesses. For example, a hezrou (9 HD) could possess a longsword and bestow up to 18,000 gp worth of powers on it, causing it to function as a +3 longsword, a +1 unholy longsword, or any other magic longsword whose combined properties are valued at up to 18,000 gp. A fi end possessing a suit of magic armor or a magic weapon can increase the item’s powers by the same gold piece value. Beginning on page 216, the Dungeon Master’s Guide gives prices for various enhancements. The fi end is in control of the powers it bestows upon the item, and it can take them away as a free action if the creature using the item does not act in a manner that the fi end favors. The object loses all powers bestowed by the possession when the fi end leaves it. Despite the fi end’s ability to duplicate the abilities of magic items, a nonmagical possessed item doesn’t actually become magical. Detect magic does not reveal an aura, but detect evil does. In addition, smart characters might notice that the possessed item behaves strangely or has an unusual appearance. For example, a magic weapon that isn’t of masterwork quality is a tip-off that its power stems from an unusual source. In addition, a character who succeeds on a DC 25 Search check while examining the item notes some peculiar feature about it. Watcher: A possessing fi end in the role of watcher can see and hear out to 120 feet as long as the possessed object remains stationary. Intelligent Items and Demonic Possession Demons sometimes possess intelligent magic items, but more often, they simply masquerade as intelligent items. Few tricks make a demon happier than allowing a paladin to think she’s just discovered a magic, intelligent sword that she can use to fi ght evil, then watching her face when she later discovers that her weapon is the home of a creature she has sworn to fi ght. A demon possessing a magic item has control over the magic of the item and can turn it on or off at will. The demon might also be able to provide additional enhancements for the item as an enhancer, or even use some of its own powers through the object. Exorcism Possessing demons are tricky creatures. They know they occupy a position both secure and vulnerable while possessing a creature or object. However, their chaotic nature makes discovery almost a forgone conclusion given time, so most demons rarely grow too comfortable in any host’s body. Once discovered, those who can deal with such matters are inevitably summoned, and rather than go gently, most demons would fight attempts to drive them from a prized host. Removing an unwilling demon from a creature or object can be accomplished in but a few ways. Some individuals specialize in such matters. The sacred exorcists (see page 56 of Complete Divine) are quite accomplished at driving possessing fiends from their hosts. Unfortunately, these individuals are constantly seeking new signs of possession at the behest of their churches, and far too few of them exist to help as many possession victims as tend to crop up. That said, spellcasters have a few weapons at their disposal to help deal with these unruly fi ends. A few spells, in particular, come in handy when a possessed creature or object is encountered. Banishment, dismissal, dispel chaos, and dispel evil can all drive a demon from its host’s body. In these cases, despite a lack of line of effect, the caster can force a possessing fiend to succeed on a Will save. If it fails, it is not necessarily forced back to its home plane, however. Instead, the incorporeal form of the possessing fiend is driven out of the host and back to the fiend’s own body. A fiend driven out in this method can immediately attempt to find its former host however, so this method typically requires a quick protection from evil spell cast on the former victim to prevent repossession. If protection from evil is cast on a possessed creature before a demon is driven out, it suppresses the fi end’s ability to infl uence its host for the duration of the spell—the fi end is essentially unable to do anything except leave the host. This is often enough of a solution to drive a demon from the host’s body. Many lack the patience to wait even the short amount of time it takes for the spell to wear off. In addition, the exorcism spell, found on page 92 of this book, specifically allows a cleric or paladin to drive an offending fi end from a host’s body. While the spell is far more specialized than those spells previously mentioned, its focus makes it probably the best tool of the job (short of fi nding a sacred exorcist). pqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqrs pqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqrs WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT POSSESSION Characters with ranks in Knowledge (religion) and Knowledge (the planes) can attempt skill checks to determine what they know about possession. When a character makes a successful skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including the information from lower DCs. DC 10: Fiends can possess creatures and force them to do their will. The motivations of these possessing fiends is as varied as the demons themselves. Evil creatures are more susceptible to possession, but no one is really safe. DC 15: Fiends can also possess objects, although they usually do so to get to people. When a fiend possesses you, it can use you as a puppet, but sometimes it just lurks in your body, whispering dark ideas or waiting for the right moment to take control. DC 20: Fiends that have possessed you still have a body, but they keep it hidden away somewhere safe. The part of the fiend that possesses someone is a sort of apparition version of the demon. Some fiends can warp your body when they possess you, eventually twisting you into their own physical form and permanently taking over your body. DC 25: The apparition version of a possessing fiend is incorporeal and able to move to and from the Ethereal Plane as it pleases. While moving about incorporeally, a fiend’s body is vulnerable to attack, if you can find it. DC 30: If you can trap a possessing fiend’s incorporeal body outside the host, you can destroy it, although you need the same kind of magic and weapons to do so as you would if fighting a ghost or shadow. If you attack the fiend’s body, it can instantly return to its corporeal form, although this means it has to leave its possessed victim. DC 40: A fiend’s body while in its incorporeal state must be on the plane of the creature it possesses. So if your neighbor is possessed, the demon’s body is somewhere on the Material Plane. If you destroy a demon’s incorporeal, possessing form, the demon goes into a coma for as long as a week, and its body is completely vulnerable during this time. 620_95375_Ch1.indd 26 3/20/06 3:52:03 PM

he demons described in this chapter are considered some of the most commonly encountered kinds and have been documented over time by multiple researchers, particularly in such dubious works as the Black Scrolls of Ahm. Nearly all the demons in this chapter belong to one of three subtypes, described below. LOUMARA SUBTYPE The loumaras represent an emergent demonic subtype and are fairly recent additions to the Abyss. Even so, they have plagued the Material Plane for ages. These demons rise from the fragmenting dreams of dead gods found in the Dreaming Gulf (layer 230), spreading out into the surrounding Abyss like a stain or slipping into the Material Plane through tiny tears in reality. Their indistinct nature and lack of physical forms has resulted in obscurity on the Material Plane, yet their taint in the mortal realm is far greater than most would imagine. Only two kinds of loumaras have thus far manifested with any regularity: the corpse-haunting dybbuks and the murderous guecubus. Loumara Traits: A loumara has the following traits (unless otherwise noted in a creature’s entry). —Immunity to acid, electricity, and fi re. —Resistance to cold 10. —Incorporeal: All loumaras have the incorporeal subtype when not possessing a physical body. —Possession (Su): All loumaras can possess physical objects or creatures (see Demonic Possession, page 21). The exact kind of object or creature a specifi c loumara can possess is noted in the creature’s description. —Telepathy. OBYRITH SUBTYPE The strange and horrifi c obyriths are primeval demons from eons past. They wrought chaos and evil upon the multiverse before the advent of intelligent life on the Material Plane. Their forms are hideous to behold, rarely if ever incorporating elements possessed by mortal creatures. Obyriths dwell only in the most remote corners of the Abyss. Their kind has been in decline since the rise of the tanar’ri in the Abyss, although a few tenacious examples continue to make their presence known on key layers. Obyrith Traits: An obyrith has the following traits (unless otherwise noted in a creature’s entry). —Immunity to poison and mind-affecting spells and abilities. —Resistance to acid 10, cold 10, electricity 10, and fi re 10. —Fast Healing: All obyriths have fast healing (DMG 293); the exact amount is indicated in the specifi c creature’s entry. —Form of Madness (Sp): Obyriths appear in forms so noxious and horrifi c that those within 60 feet of an obyrith who observe it are subject to madness. When a creature fi rst encounters an obyrith, it must attempt a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the obyrith’s HD + 27Illus. by A. Swekel Illus. by A. Swekel 620_95375_Ch2.indd 27 3/20/06 4:01:19 PM

28CHAPTER 2 DEMONS the obyrith’s Cha modifi er). Failure indicates that the victim is affl icted with some permanent form of madness or insanity. The kind of malady and its duration depends on the obyrith. A creature that makes a saving throw against an obyrith’s form of madness is immune to that particular effect for 24 hours. Blindness is no protection against an obyrith’s form of madness—their presence is an affront to all fi ve senses. This is a mind-affecting ability. Chaotic evil outsiders are immune to an obyrith’s form of madness. The insanity caused by an obyrith’s form of madness ability is permanent in most cases, but can be removed by greater restoration, heal, limited wish, miracle, or wish. —True Seeing (Su): An obyrith is under the constant effect of true seeing. This effect cannot be dispelled. —Telepathy. TANAR’RI SUBTYPE Most demons encountered outside of the Abyss are tanar’ri. The most populous of the demon subtypes, the tanar’ri form the largest and most diverse group of demons. They are the unchallenged masters of the Abyss at this time. The fi rst tanar’ri were forged from the souls of the fi rst humanoids drawn to the Abyss. Most tanar’ri incorporate humanoid features into their forms as a result of their close ties to the mortal realm. Tanar’ri Traits: A tanar’ri has the following traits (unless otherwise noted in a creature’s entry). —Immunity to electricity and poison. —Resistance to acid 10, cold 10, and fi re 10. —Summon (Sp): Tanar’ri share the ability to summon others of their kind (the success chance and kind of tanar’ri summoned are noted in each monster description). Between their arrogance and disdain for owing favors to one another, however, tanar’ri are often reluctant to use this power until they are in obvious peril. —Telepathy. ARMANITE This creature has the lower body of a muscular horse and the torso, arms, and head of a sickly human. Its fl esh is pale and festers with sores. Heavy horns protrude from its brow, and it wears an intricate suit of full plate armor. Patches of bristly hair protrude from chinks in its armor. Armanite CR 7 Always CE Large outsider (chaotic, evil, extraplanar, tanar’ri) Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +13, Spot +13 Language Abyssal; telepathy 100 ft. AC 23, touch 9, flat-footed 23 (–1 size, +8 armor, +6 natural) hp 85 (9 HD); DR 10/cold iron or good Immune electricity, poison Resist acid 10, cold 10, fire 10; SR 18 Fort +11, Ref +6, Will +7 Speed 40 ft. in plate armor (8 squares), base speed 60 ft.; Run, air walk Melee mwk lance +14/+9 (2d6+7/×3) and hooves +8 (1d6+2) or Melee mwk heavy flail +14/+9 (2d8+7/19–20) and hooves +8 (1d6+2) Ranged composite longbow +9/+4 (1d8+6/×3 plus 1d6 electricity [plus 2d10 electricity on a critical hit]) Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with lance) Base Atk +9; Grp +18 Atk Options Improved Bull Rush, Power Attack, cavalry charge, sparkbolt Special Actions summon tanar’ri Abilities Str 20, Dex 11, Con 20, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 13 SQ tanar’ri traits (see above) Feats Improved Bull Rush, Power Attack, Run, Track Skills Intimidate +13, Jump +17, Listen +13, Search +11, Spot +13, Survival +13, Tumble +8 Advancement 10–15 HD (Large); 16–27 HD (Huge); see text Possessions full plate, masterwork lance, masterwork heavy flail, composite longbow (+5 Str bonus) with 20 arrows Air Walk (Su) An armanite can use air walk, as the spell of the same name, for up to 1 hour per day. This time need not be consecutive. Cavalry Charge (Ex) An armanite is considered to be mounted for determining the effects of charge attacks with lances. An armanite gains a +4 bonus on attack rolls when charging with a lance and does not take a penalty to its Armor Class as a result of its charge. Sparkbolt (Su) An armanite can charge arrows it shoots from any bow with electrical energy at will. Arrows fired by an armanite gain a +1 enhancement bonus and the shocking burst weapon quality. Summon Tanar’ri (Sp) Once per day, an armanite can attempt to summon 1d10 dretches or another armanite with a 30% chance of success. This ability is the equivalent of a 3rd-level spell (CL 9th). Armanites are demonic heavy cavalry, charging with uncontained bloodlust and fury into the ranks of their foes. STRATEGY AND TACTICS An armanite knows its role on the battlefi eld and revels in it. Its charge delivers maximum destruction and mayhem. Once engaged in melee, an armanite switches to a heavy fl ail that it spins wildly, swinging as it kicks with its hooves. Armanite Illus. by C. Critchlow 620_95375_Ch2.indd 28 3/20/06 4:01:24 PM

29CHAPTER 2 DEMONS SAMPLE ENCOUNTER Armanites are usually encountered in troops of eight to twelve, led by a single charismatic leader called a knecht (or pathwarden). A knecht typically has four to six levels of ranger and often provides ranged support with his arrows while allowing his troops to charge the enemy. Armanites encountered in smaller numbers are almost always ragged survivors of a raid gone awry. Since they often turn on each other when there’s nothing else to fi ght, it’s far more common to encounter a lone armanite than to fi nd them in groups of 2–7. The Pack of the Riven (EL 15): The Pack of the Riven is a troupe of nine armanites that has achieved great glory in the service of Graz’zt. Led by a grizzled knecht named Uriakast (armanite ranger 6), this band became lost when their leader took them through a mysterious and unstable planar portal in pursuit of an erinyes spy. Stranded on a new world and cut off from Graz’zt’s command, the Pack of the Riven now wages a personal war against everything in its path. ECOLOGY An armanite lives for war. As with other outsiders, it has no need to eat or drink. With little else to occupy it, an armanite fills its time with combat. An armanite not in battle or planning war is actually at its most dangerous and unpredictable, because it has no target on which to unleash its rage. Environment: Armanites can be found on any layer of the Abyss that is commanded by particularly militant demon princes. The Plains of Gallenshu (layer 377) is commonly held to be the source of the armanite race—certainly, this layer is rife with thousands of constantly warring tribes of these demons. Typical Physical Characteristics: An armanite stands 9 feet tall and weighs 2,600 pounds. Armanite weapons and armor are often engraved with Abyssal runes and are always kept in immaculate condition. SOCIETY Armanites are mercenaries and scavengers, collecting their pay and their dinner from the bodies of those they slay. They quickly grow restless when battle grows scarce—as a result, they never take part in sieges. Armanites breed, but female armanites are only half as populous as males. The sexes are kept segregated into separate packs for most of their lives. Both enjoy the chance to do battle. They mingle only during mating (which most often occurs on fresh battlefi elds). Young armanites mature quickly and are full grown within a year. Immature armanites are orphaned quickly and receive no special treatment or care. Because they operate so well in groups, armanites are often selected to undertake special missions for their Abyssal lords. On such missions, they typically carry large banners proclaiming their allegiance to their lord, although this allegiance can be extremely tenuous; the loss of the banner is sometimes all it takes for a troupe to switch sides. There are twenty-four known armanite cities on the Plains of Gallenshu, each ruled by a powerful armanite called a konsul. A konsul is usually a ranger, fighter, or rogue of 6th to 12th level. Rumors hold that at least two konsuls are multiclass cleric/wizard mystic theurges. TYPICAL TREASURE An armanite’s greatest treasures are its masterwork lance, its masterwork heavy fl ail, its composite longbow (+5 Str bonus), and its full plate armor. Armanites carry no other items of value. ADVANCED ARMANITES A few rare armanites who serve as knechts and konsuls advance instead by class levels. Fighter is the armanites’ favored class. BAR-LGURA This hulking monster looks at first like a powerfully muscled orangutan, yet the cruelty that burns in its rheumy red eyes signals a hateful intelligence. Its visage is dominated by a pair of oversized fangs that jut from its lower jaw. Its fur is rusty red and matted with fi lth. Bar-Lgura CR 5 Always CE Medium outsider (chaotic, evil, extraplanar, tanar’ri) Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +11, Spot +11 Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Common, Draconic; telepathy 100 ft. AC 23, touch 14, flat-footed 17; Dodge, Mobility (+4 Dex, +8 natural, +1 armor) hp 51 (6 HD); DR 10/cold iron or good Immune electricity, poison Resist acid 10, cold 10, fire 10; SR 16 Fort +9, Ref +9, Will +7 Speed 40 ft. (8 squares), climb 20 ft.; Run Melee 2 claws +12 (1d6+6) and bite +7 (1d6+3) Base Atk +6; Grp +12 Atk Options pounce Special Actions abduction, summon tanar’ri Spell-Like Abilities (CL 6th): At will—darkness, cause fear (DC 12), dispel magic, greater teleport (DC 18), see invisibility, telekinesis (DC 16) 2/day—disguise self (DC 12), invisibility, major image (DC 14) Abilities Str 22, Dex 19, Con 19, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 12 SQ tanar’ri traits (see page 28) Feats Dodge, Mobility, Run pqs ARMANITE LORE Characters with ranks in Knowledge (the planes) can learn more about armanites. When a character makes a successful skill check, the following lore is revealed, including the information from lower DCs. DC Result 17 Armanites are tanar’ri that serve their masters as cavalry. They resemble demonic centaurs. 22 Armanites are heavily armored but not particularly agile. 27 An armanite’s charge is its deadliest attack, and it pqs will use it whenever possible. 620_95375_Ch2.indd 29 3/20/06 4:01:34 PM

30CHAPTER 2 DEMONS Skills Balance +15, Climb +23, Hide +17, Intimidate +10, Jump +27, Listen +11, Move Silently +13, Spot +11, Tumble +15 Advancement 7–12 HD (Medium); 13–21 HD (Large) Possessions bracers of armor +1, gems or jewelry worth 600 gp Pounce (Ex) If a bar-lgura charges a foe, it can make a full attack. Abduction (Su) Unlike most tanar’ri, a bar-lgura can use greater teleport to transport other creatures. It can bring up to one Large or two Medium or smaller creatures with it each time it teleports. It can teleport unwilling targets as well, although an unwilling victim can attempt a DC 18 Will save to resist being transported. The save DC is Charisma-based. Summon Tanar’ri (Sp) Once per day, a barlgura can attempt to summon another bar-lgura with a 35% chance of success. This ability is the equivalent of a 2ndlevel spell (CL 6th). Skills A bar-lgura gains a +4 racial bonus on Hide checks and a +10 racial bonus on Jump checks. Bar-lguras are scouts and skirmishers for demonic armies. They explore unknown regions for victims to savage or fortifi cations to claim. STRATEGY AND TACTICS Bar-lguras enjoy setting ambushes and attacking foes with surprise. If they have the drop on the enemy, they begin combat with invisibility and with see invisibility in effect, and use their pounce ability to gain a full attack sequence in a surprise round. They know to use their cause fear ability only on weak foes. Bar-lguras are fond of using telekinesis to hurl objects in the surrounding area at creatures too far away to attack in melee. If brought below 30 hit points, a bar-lgura typically tries to use its abduction ability on one of its enemies to fi nish him off alone. SAMPLE ENCOUNTER Bar-lguras don’t enjoy the company of other demons. It’s not uncommon to fi nd a single bar-lgura in areas quite remote from other demonic activity—such loners could be advance scouts for a larger force, but are more likely to be individuals seeking an opportunity to spread a little mayhem. Larger packs of three to eleven bar-lguras can be forces to reckon with. The Scourge of Winterdale (EL 10): Six bar-lguras have moved in to an abandoned mine ten minutes upriver from the small village of Winterdale. They were sent by a cruel conjurer named Garwode, who was driven from the village after one of his conjured beasts got loose and burned down a local temple. He has given the band of bar-lguras specifi c instructions to stalk the village, remain unseen, and nab lone victims as the opportunity presents itself, teleporting back to the mine with them. What Garwode plans to do with these victims is still unknown; all that the citizens of Winterdale know is that their friends and family members are slowly vanishing without a trace. ECOLOGY In the Abyss, bar-lguras tend to congregate in small packs led by a dominant male. They avoid regions infested with other demons, since they do not share their kin’s delight in torment. Rather, they think that lesser demons simply get in the way. Environment: Bar-lguras are gifted climbers and look for vertically defensive positions when selecting territory. They often claim large tracts of ancient forests or clifflaced mountainsides, using sheer cliffs or tree trunks to gain a tactical advantage over anything that intrudes on their lands. Typical Physical Characteristics: A bar-lgura stands 5 feet tall and is quite broad and muscular. A typical specimen can weigh over 300 pounds. Its overall visage is that of a demonic orangutan, except for a leering expression, tremendous tusks, and six-digited hands and feet. A bar-lgura can change the color of its fur, reflexively blending into surrounding terrain. This not only affords Bar-lgura Illus. by R. Horsley pqs BAR-LGURA LORE Characters with ranks in Knowledge (the planes) can learn more about bar-lguras. When a character makes a successful skill check, the following lore is revealed, including the information from lower DCs. DC Result 15 Bar-lguras often serve as scouts for other demonic forces. 20 A bar-lgura can pounce on foes with great ferocity, clawing and biting before its victim can even react. 25 Bar-lguras can see invisible foes. 30 Unlike most tanar’ri, a bar-lgura can transport other creatures with its abduction ability, even if pqs those creatures are unwilling. 620_95375_Ch2.indd 30 3/20/06 4:01:40 PM

31CHAPTER 2 DEMONS the demon greater skill at hiding, but is often incorporated into their body language. A bar-lgura turns a brilliant fiery orange when enraged, for example, or a dull gray when content. SOCIETY A knowledgeable traveler in the Abyss realizes he’s in barlgura territory not only by the lack of other demonkind but also by the disturbing fetishes and totems these demons erect on the borders of their lands—gruesome effi gies made from sharpened branches, discarded weapons, and the body parts of lesser demons (particularly dretches and rutterkins). When two bar-lgura tribes encroach on each other, the result is always bloody warfare that ends only when the lesser tribe has been slaughtered and eaten. TYPICAL TREASURE Bar-lgura demons prefer to wear their treasure. A typical bar-lgura possesses the normal amount of treasure for a creature of its CR. Standard Treasure: Bracers of armor +1 (increase standard and fl at-footed AC by 1), silver ring set with garnets worth 600 gp. BROODSWARM A chattering swarm of rotund little demonlings bounds toward you. Each demonling has a wide, toothy grin and a feeble pair of madly fl apping wings. Broodswarm CR 6 Always CE Tiny outsider (chaotic, evil, extraplanar, swarm) Init +9; Senses darkvision 60 ft., scent goodness; Listen +13, Spot +13 Aura daze (30-ft. radius, Will DC 15) Languages Abyssal, Common AC 17, touch 15, flat-footed 12 (+5 Dex, +2 natural) hp 68 (8 HD); DR 5/cold iron or good; half damage from slashing and piercing weapons Immune swarm traits (MM 315) SR 12 Fort +10, Ref +13, Will +8; evasion Weakness area affects deal 150% damage Speed 40 ft. (8 squares) Melee swarm 2d6 plus daze and stitching Space 10 ft.; Reach 0 ft. Base Atk +8; Grp — Atk Options distraction (DC 18; does not affect night hags; MM 316) Special Actions call night hag Abilities Str 10, Dex 20, Con 18, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 13 Feats Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Nimble Fingers Skills Climb +11, Disable Device +13, Hide +24, Jump +19, Listen +13, Move Silently +16, Open Lock +18, Spot +13 Advancement — Call Night Hag (Sp) Once per day, a broodswarm can call the night hag that created it. This ability takes 1 minute (uninterrupted) to perform, so the broodswarm typically waits until it has captured a victim to use this ability. There’s a 25% chance that the night hag refuses to answer the call for whatever reason, in which case the ability is wasted. The night hag called by the broodswarm appears in a blast of noxious smoke in one of the swarm’s squares and can remain indefinitely. If this night hag that created the broodswarm is killed, the broodswarm cannot use this ability. This is a conjuration (calling) effect (CL 6th). Daze Aura (Su) At the end of a broodswarm’s turn, creatures within 30 feet of it must succeed on a DC 15 Will save or be dazed for 1 round. A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by that same broodswarm’s daze aura for 24 hours. A broodswarm can suppress or activate this ability as a free action. Chaotic evil outsiders are immune to the aura. The save DC is Charisma-based. Scent Goodness (Su) A broodswarm has the scent ability, but only against creatures with a good alignment. Any effect that suppresses odor or alignment masks a good creature from a broodswarm’s ability to scent them. Stitching (Su) Broodswarms can manifest lengths of coarse black thread from their silvery hook hands as a free action. They use these threads to stitch victims up and prevent their escape. Whenever a broodswarm deals swarm damage to a creature, they begin stitching body parts together. This gives the victim a –2 penalty to its Dexterity score; multiple rounds of stitching incur multiple cumulative penalties to Dexterity. This is neither ability damage nor ability drain and cannot be healed with magic such as restoration. When a creature’s effective Dexterity is reduced to 0 by this effect, it becomes helpless, mute, and blind. Damage reduction can provide immunity to stitching as long as the silver hooks do not bypass it. A creature can attempt to break free of its stitching (even if helpless as a result of the stitching) by making a DC 20 Strength check. Each attempt (successful or not) deals 2d6 points of damage to the victim. Another creature can cut the stitching loose with a DC 10 Heal check and 1 minute of work. Skills A broodswarm’s feeble wings can assist in making leaps, granting it a +8 racial bonus on Jump checks. pqs BROODSWARM LORE Characters with ranks in Knowledge (the planes) can learn more about broodswarms. When a character makes a successful skill check, the following lore is revealed, including the information from lower DCs. DC Result 18 Piercing and slashing weapons are not particularly effective against a broodswarm, especially if they aren’t made of cold iron or infused with good. 23 This swarm of sparrow-sized demonlings can create thick black thread, which it uses to stitch creatures into immobility with frightening speed. 28 Area effects can quickly dispatch a broodswarm. The demonlings that comprise the swarm are surprisingly agile, however, and can sometimes evade damage from such attacks completely. 33 Broodswarms are created by night hags and can pqs conjure their creators given time. 620_95375_Ch2.indd 31 3/20/06 4:01:49 PM

32CHAPTER 2 DEMONS Sinister and cruel, these swarms of Tiny demons are created by night hags and sent out into the world to fi nd innocent souls for their mistresses to harvest. STRATEGY AND TACTICS A broodswarm uses its ability to scent goodness to select its targets; it has little interest in attacking non-good creatures except in self-defense or to reach a goodaligned creature. A broodswarm relies on its daze aura to subdue a victim and make it easier to stitch. SAMPLE ENCOUNTER It’s unusual for a night hag to create more than one broodswarm at a time, simply due to the exorbitant cost of creating the sheer number of little demons (see Ecology). As a result, broodswarms are typically encountered alone. Under the Bed (EL 6): A night hag named Brashki has come to a small coastal town and has brought a broodswarm with her. She dwells in a partially collapsed brothel down by the waterfront, sending her broodswarm out nightly to gather victims. The broodswarm has taken a specifi c approach; it sneaks into an inn an hour before nightfall and hides under a bed in an empty room, waiting for a lone victim to lie down in the bed above. Then it swarms up and begins stitching the victim to the bed, calling on Brashki to collect her new toy once the deed is done. The owners of several inns have started to wonder about the sudden rash of paying guests who leave without a word, not to mention the strange remnants of black thread and spots of blood on the bedsheets. No innkeeper has come forward with questions, however, afraid that the news might hurt business. ECOLOGY Although they are not constructs, broodswarms share much in common with them. They do not eat or drink and have little interest in anything other than serving their night hag mistresses. The creation of a broodswarm is a painful experience. It requires a month-long process in the Pits of Despair on the Woeful Escarand (layer 400), during which time the night hag must constantly tear loose pieces of her fl esh and feed them to fresh manes. As each piece of flesh is eaten, that mane shrinks into a broodswarm demonling. The night hag repeats this process three hundred times. The entire process costs the night hag 2 points of Constitution; this loss of Constitution cannot be replaced until the brood swarm she created is slain, at which point it can be restored as if it were Constitution drain. Environment: Broodswarms can be found anywhere but prefer to haunt urban areas. Since it can call its night hag creator from anywhere, a broodswarm need not remain physically close to its mistress. Typical Physical Characteristics: A broodswarm consists of three hundred Tiny demonlings, each of which is about the size of a sparrow and weighs only half a pound; an entire swarm thus weighs 150 pounds. An individual demonling looks like a miniature fat horned human, naked, with a grin that’s too wide and a thin, hooked silver needle in place of each hand. It has undeveloped wings that cannot allow actual fl ight, though they do grant a boost when jumping. A broodswarm demonling’s feet end in tiny hooves; the sound of a broodswarm scuttling over a hard surface is that of a miniaturized stampede of horses—a disconcerting noise, to say the least. SOCIETY Broodswarms are completely and slavishly loyal to their creators. They desire only to serve their night hag mistresses, and thus do not form societies of their own. A broodswarm whose night hag is slain slowly slips into madness—within a week, the broodswarm turns on itself, its component demonlings slaughtering each other until all that remains is a nasty, tangled mess of tiny bodies stitched together in a bloody mound. TYPICAL TREASURE Broodswarms have no interest in treasure. A broodswarm claims another victim Illus. by A. Swekel 620_95375_Ch2.indd 32 3/20/06 4:01:56 PM

33CHAPTER 2 DEMONS BULEZAU The demon’s fl esh festers with open sores. Its tall, gaunt frame is festooned with patches of short bristles. It has the head of a large, sickly ram with massive curved horns, rheumy eyes, and froth-caked lips stretched over thin, needlelike fangs. Its snakelike tail writhes, the tip a twisted tangle of metallic spines. Despite its emaciated form, the beast wields a great ranseur far too large for its size, and with unnerving grace. Bulezau CR 9 Always CE Large outsider (chaotic, evil, extraplanar, tanar’ri) Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +14, Spot +14 Languages Abyssal, Common; telepathy 30 ft. AC 21, touch 11, flat-footed 19 (–1 size, +2 Dex, +10 natural) hp 115 (10 HD); DR 10/cold iron or good Immune electricity, poison Resist acid 10, cold 10, fire 10; SR 20 Fort +14, Ref +9, Will +8 Speed 30 ft. (6 squares) Melee* Huge +1 ranseur +12/+7 (3d6+21/19–20/×3) and tail +9 (1d8+7) or Melee* gore +11 (2d6+10) and 2 claws +9 (1d6+7) and tail +9 (1d8+7) * Attacks include the Power Attack feat Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft. (20 ft. with ranseur) Base Atk +10; Grp +20 Atk Options Power Attack, blood frenzy Special Actions powerful charge, summon tanar’ri Spell-Like Abilities (CL 10th): At will—command (DC 11), greater teleport (self plus 50 pounds of objects only), see invisibility, solid fog, telekinesis (DC 15) 3/day—fear (DC 14) 1/day—shout (DC 14) Abilities Str 22, Dex 14, Con 24, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 10 SQ wield oversized weapon, tanar’ri traits (see page 28) Feats Improved Critical (ranseur), Multiattack, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (ranseur) Skills Climb +19, Intimidate +13, Jump +19, Listen +14, Spot +14, Swim +19 Advancement 11–20 HD (Large); 21–30 HD (Huge) Possessions Huge +1 ranseur Blood Frenzy (Ex) A bulezau that takes damage in combat can fly into a frenzy in the following round, attacking madly until either it or its opponent is dead. It gains +2 Strength and Constitution, and it takes a –2 penalty to Armor Class. A bulezau cannot end its frenzy voluntarily. Powerful Charge (Ex) A bulezau typically begins a battle by charging at an opponent. In addition to the normal benefits and hazards of a charge, this allows a bulezau to make a single gore attack with a +2 attack bonus that deals 4d6+9 points of damage. Wield Oversized Weapon (Ex) A bulezau is skilled at wielding weapons one size category larger than itself and does not take any penalties when fighting with such weapons. Summon Tanar’ri (Sp) Once per day, a bulezau can attempt to summon 1d6 dretches or 1d4 rutterkin with a 50% chance of success. This ability is the equivalent of a 3rdlevel spell (CL 10th). Bulezau demons are the heavy infantry of the Abyss, potent and powerful melee specialists who delight in rending fl esh and spilling blood. STRATEGY AND TACTICS A bulezau excels in melee combat. Always under the effect of see invisibility, a bulezau usually begins combat with a shout directed at the densest cluster of enemies. It prefers to engage foes in areas where its victims have nowhere to run; if it attacks in an open area, a bulezau typically uses solid fog to block easy escape routes. A bulezau starts melee combat with a charge, following up in succeeding rounds with full attacks, using the reach of its Huge +1 ranseur. It uses the Power Attack feat as a matter of course (already refl ected in its statistics). Against targets that get inside of this reach, it switches to its claw, gore, and tail attacks, dropping its ranseur. It generally saves uses of its fear spell-like ability for desperate situations, since it prefers to keep its enemies within reach of its weapons. SAMPLE ENCOUNTER Similar to armanites, bulezaus encountered individually are almost always the sole survivors of an otherwise complete slaughter of their troupe. Often, such a slaughter was at their own hands, when their commanders were unable to break up a fi ght in time to prevent the group’s self destruction. In groups, bulezaus are always led by a more powerful demon or creature. Zuragur’s Bruisers (EL 14): Zuragur (CE male human barbarian 11) personally led dozens of raids against settlements in a secluded valley at the edge of the kingdom. On one of these raids, he encountered a cult of Redeemers; he was impressed by their faith and abandoned his raids to join them. His contributions to the Redeemer cause have been signifi cant—enough so that Baphomet took notice and sent a group of four bulezaus to serve as his guardians and thugs. Bulezau Illus. by C. Critchlow 620_95375_Ch2.indd 33 3/20/06 4:02:05 PM

34CHAPTER 2 DEMONS Zuragur and his demonic minions have since gained control over several local villages. He’s put every able-bodied person to work at constructing a large castle and plans on returning to his homeland soon to conquer them and add those barbarians to the Redeemer cause. Zuragur and his four bulezaus can be encountered as they move from tribe to tribe. His defeat might be the only thing to prevent an incursion of berserkers. ECOLOGY Rumor holds that the fi rst bulezaus were created by Baphomet, who sought to create a powerful army of warriors to crush Yeenoghu’s forces. Unfortunately, Baphomet’s creations proved too bestial in their nature to control on a large scale. He eventually grew tired of losing favored generals to their uprisings and released the demons into the Abyss, where they fl ourished. Environment: Bulezaus are found most often on the layers of the Abyss dedicated to war. They can also be found on any layer ruled by a particularly warlike demon lord, such as Baphomet, Kostchtchie, or Yeenoghu. Typical Physical Characteristics: An average bulezau stands just over 8 feet tall and weighs 250 pounds. Although a bulezau appears diseased and sickly, its appearance is deceiving, masking its strength and ferocity. SOCIETY Bulezaus are quarrelsome, bullying creatures. When not fighting against others, they fight among themselves. Demonic commanders of bulezau units often post powerful demons nearby with orders to attack any bulezau that starts a fi ght—the threat of sure death is one of the few things that can keep a group of bulezaus in line for any length of time. When not at war, bulezau bands quickly fall apart into bloody chaos. TYPICAL TREASURE Most bulezaus own a Huge +1 ranseur. Others wield Huge spears, tridents, or morningstars of similar magical enhancement. Aside from this, a bulezau owns treasure standard for a creature of its CR. Standard Treasure: Huge +1 ranseur, oil of keen edge, potion of haste, 2 potions of cure moderate wounds, 100 gp. CHASME This large, fl ylike demon has buzzing wings and six limbs, two of which end in long, thin-fi ngered hands. Its head is vaguely humanoid, with a large hooked horn where its nose should be. Tufts of wiry hair sprout between the black plates covering its insect fl esh. Chasme CR 10 Always CE Large outsider (chaotic, evil, extraplanar, tanar’ri) Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +14, Spot +14 Aura fear (5-ft. radius, Will DC 16) Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Common; telepathy 100 ft. AC 26, touch 12, flat-footed 23 (–1 size, +3 Dex, +14 natural) hp 76 (9 HD); DR 10/cold iron or good Immune electricity, poison Resist acid 10, cold 10, fire 10; SR 21 Fort +10, Ref +9, Will +8 Speed 30 ft. (6 squares), climb 30 ft., fly 50 ft. (perfect); Flyby Attack Melee 2 claws +17 (1d6+4 plus wounding) and bite +15 (1d8+2 plus wounding) and gore +15 (1d8+2 plus wounding) Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft. Base Atk +9; Grp +17 Atk Options Flyby Attack, Power Attack Special Actions drone, summon tanar’ri Spell-Like Abilities (CL 9th): At will—contagion (DC varies), darkness, desecrate, detect good, dispel magic, fly, greater teleport (self plus 50 pounds of objects only), insect plague, ray of enfeeblement (+11 ranged touch), protection from good (DC 13), see invisibility, telekinesis (DC 17) 3/day—quickened ray of enfeeblement (+11 ranged touch) 1/day—unholy aura (DC 20) Abilities Str 19, Dex 16, Con 18, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 14 SQ tanar’ri traits (see page 28) Feats Flyby Attack, Multiattack, Power Attack, Quicken SpellLike Ability (ray of enfeeblement) Skills Bluff +14, Climb +24, Concentration +16, Diplomacy +6, Hide +11, Intimidate +16, Listen +14, Move Silently +15, Search +14, Sense Motive +14, Spot +14 Advancement 10–18 HD (Large) Drone (Su) As a full-round action, a chasme can beat its wings to create a droning buzz in a 60-foot-radius spread. Each creature in this area must succeed on a DC 16 Will save or fall asleep for 2d10 rounds. Creatures immune to sleep effects are immune to this effect. The save DC is Charisma-based. Fear Aura (Su) As a swift action, a chasme can create an aura of fear in a 5-foot radius around it. This effect is otherwise identical to a fear spell (CL 12th; Will DC 16 negates). If this save is successful, that creature cannot be affected again by that chasme’s fear aura for 24 hours. The save DC is Charisma-based. Summon Tanar’ri (Sp) Once per day, a chasme can attempt to summon 1d4 rutterkins or 1 chasme with a 40% chance of success. This ability is the equivalent of a 4thlevel spell (CL 9th). Wounding (Ex) A wound resulting from a chasme’s attack bleeds for an additional 1 point of damage per round thereafter. Multiple wounds from such attacks result in cumulative bleeding loss. The bleeding can be stopped by a DC 10 Heal check or the application of any form of magical healing. pqs BULEZAU LORE Characters with ranks in Knowledge (the planes) can learn more about bulezaus. When a character makes a successful skill check, the following lore is revealed, including the information from lower DCs. DC Result 15 Bulezaus serve as the heavy infantry of the Abyss and are notoriously diffi cult to control. 20 A bulezau can wield oversized weapons. Its weapon of choice is the ranseur. 25 Bulezaus enjoy charging and using their horns to gore their opponents. 30 A wounded bulezau is a terror to behold. It can fl y into a berserk frenzy and become much stronger pqs and harder to slay. 620_95375_Ch2.indd 34 3/20/06 4:02:14 PM

35CHAPTER 2 DEMONS Chasme demons resemble fl ies. They serve as torturers and taskmasters, keeping lesser demons and slaves in line. STRATEGY AND TACTICS Chasmes enjoy tormenting their foes before slaying them. They use their speed and maneuverability in fl ight to maintain ranged superiority while constantly harassing foes with their insect plague and telekinesis spell-like abilities. For the fi rst three rounds of combat, they also use quickened rays of enfeeblement against creatures that wear heavy armor or look as though they might become encumbered if their Strength drops. They use Power Attack only against lightly armored foes. A chasme saves its drone ability in case it becomes cornered and needs to escape. SAMPLE ENCOUNTER Chasmes enjoy the company of other chasmes and can often be encountered in gangs of three or more. These groups of chasmes fl it and soar in the skies of the Abyss, constantly on the hunt for anything weak and feeble to torment. Chasmes have been known to carve out small territories for themselves both on the Abyss and on other planes. There they act out the role of minor demon lords, ruling over lesser demons such as rutterkins and dretches. The Buzzing Lord (EL 11): Mazzmyz, the Buzzing Lord, came to the Material Plane when an incompetent sorcerer tried to bind him and failed. The sorcerer slain, Mazzmyz quickly set about taking over the man’s home on the edge of the forest. He then used some of the remaining magic he found there to call forth a force of six rutterkins to serve him. The chasme has since turned its attentions toward a nearby lumber camp, with an eye to enslaving the workers and extending his infl uence in the region. ECOLOGY Chasmes reproduce from prefertilized eggs laid in the decaying fl esh of enormous slain demons or other creatures. An adult chasme can spawn ten young in a year. Chasme eggs hatch in three months, and hatchlings grow to adulthood in a mere seven years (although they can lay eggs of their own by their second year). Environment: Chasmes prefer lairs built on vertical surfaces, such as treetops, cliffside rookeries, or soaring caverns with numerous ledges to perch upon. They are particularly populous on the Crushing Plain (layer 69) and on Torremor (layer 503). Typical Physical Characteristics: A chasme is 9 feet long but surprisingly light, weighing only 150 pounds. SOCIETY Chasmes are particularly gifted torturers and will overlook their bitter hatred of other demons if given the chance to serve as interrogators or task masters. They are often put in charge of punishing lesser demons, a task they take to with obvious enjoyment. Chasmes have a strange gift for spotting demons who have deserted their demon lords. They take special pains to capture and return such traitors to their masters in hopes of gaining not only a reward but also a chance to torment the victim further without fear of reprisal. TYPICAL TREASURE Chasmes do not wield weapons or wear armor, but they sometimes use other magic items they discover. They are also fond of delicate art objects encrusted with gemstones. They have standard treasure for a creature of their CR. Standard Treasure: Silk pouch containing 195 gp and 5 amethysts (worth 100 gp each), silver sculpture of a nymph with emerald eyes (worth 650 gp), platinum and pearl necklace (worth 1,000 gp), mithral wand of summon monster II (12 charges), ivory scroll tube set with amber (worth 450 gp) and containing a scroll of mass inflict light wounds and a scroll of restoration. Chasme Illus. by A. Stokes pqs CHASME LORE Characters with ranks in Knowledge (the planes) can learn more about chasmes. When a character makes a successful skill check, the following lore is revealed, including the information from lower DCs. DC Result 20 Chasmes are skilled at bluffi ng and sensing true motives. In the Abyss, they serve more powerful demons as torturers and taskmasters. 25 A chasme can generate a fi ve-foot aura of fear around itself, shrugging off damage from weapons that haven’t been infused with purity and goodness. 30 The droning sound of a chasme’s wings can lull the unwary to sleep. 35 Wounds caused by a chasme’s attack continue to bleed until the victim dies of blood loss. These horrifi c wounds can be tended and closed by a pqs skilled healer or by magical healing. 620_95375_Ch2.indd 35 3/20/06 4:02:21 PM

36CHAPTER 2 DEMONS DYBBUK A faint brush of cold, the fl eeting scent of moldering lilies, and a sudden conviction of loss mark the passage of this indistinct shape. Its form is visible only as a fl ickering shimmer in the air accompanied by faint tendrils of pale smoke. Dybbuk CR 8 Always CE Medium outsider (chaotic, evil, extraplanar, incorporeal, loumara) Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +15, Spot +15 Languages Abyssal, Common; telepathy 100 ft. AC 21, touch 21, flat-footed 16; Dodge, Mobility (+5 Dex, +6 deflection) hp 95 (10 HD); DR 10/good Immune acid, electricity, fire; incorporeal traits (MM 310) Resist cold 10; SR 19 Fort +12, Ref +12, Will +9 Speed fly 40 ft. (8 squares) (perfect) Melee 2 tendrils +15 touch (1d6 Con) Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. Base Atk +10; Grp — Special Actions corpse possession, death touch, dybbuk’s gift, withering touch Spell-Like Abilities (CL 10th): At will—dimension door, obscuring mist 3/day—fear (DC 20), phantasmal killer (DC 20), mind fog (DC 21) Abilities Str —, Dex 20, Con 20, Int 16, Wis 15, Cha 23 SQ dybbuk’s gift, loumara traits (see page 27) Feats Ability Focus (death touch), Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Mobility Skills Bluff +19, Concentration +18, Diplomacy +23, Disguise +19 (+21 acting), Forgery +16, Hide +13, Intimidate +8, Knowledge (local) +16, Listen +15, Search +16, Sense Motive +15, Spot +15, Tumble +18 Advancement 11–20 HD (Medium) Corpse Possession (Su) A dybbuk that enters a square occupied by a corpse can, as a standard action, possess the body. It can only possess bodies of creatures of the following types: animal, humanoid, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, and vermin. The body cannot be headless or destroyed beyond recognition, and a dybbuk cannot possess a corpse in the area of a magic circle against chaos, magic circle against evil, or a similar effect. A dybbuk-possessed body rises to its feet on the dybbuk’s next action. The fiendish essence of the dybbuk restores the host body to its full hit points; old wounds simply vanish, and any conditions that might have once affected the host are removed. A dybbuk can inhabit such a body indefinitely, and the body doesn’t age while possessed. If the possessed body is reduced to –10 hit points, the dybbuk is forced out of the body and into an adjacent square (or the nearest available space). Unless the body is beheaded or completely destroyed, the dybbuk can attempt to possess it again on its next turn. A dybbuk-possessed body gains the benefits of its natural armor and any armor it wears, but not the dybbuk’s deflection bonus to AC. The dybbuk adopts the statistics of the creature it is possessing but gains none of its extraordinary, supernatural, or spell-like abilities, nor can it use any of the possessed creature’s Intelligence-, Wisdom-, or Charisma-based skills. A dismissal, dispel chaos, or dispel evil spell cast on the possessed body immediately drives the dybbuk from the body into an adjacent square (or the nearest available space) and dazes the dybbuk for 1 round (no save). Without the dybbuk to inhabit it, the dead body collapses to the ground, lifeless. Death Touch (Su) Once per day, a dybbuk can use a standard action to focus its unworldly energies and make a death touch attack against a creature. The dybbuk makes a melee touch attack; if the attack hits, roll 10d6. If the resulting number equals or exceeds the current hit points of the creature touched, that creature must succeed on a DC 23 Fortitude save or die. If the creature survives, it still takes 1d6 points of Constitution damage, and the dybbuk heals 5 points of damage (as if it had used its withering touch). A dybbuk can use its death touch even while possessing a body. This is a death effect. The save DC is Charisma-based and includes the +2 bonus from the dybbuk’s Ability Focus feat. Dybbuk’s Gift (Su) Once per day as a standard action, a dybbuk in its natural form can impart a gift to a mortal creature by touch. A form of rage grips the creature as it gains a +2 profane bonus on attack rolls and weapon damage rolls. The effect lasts for 24 hours or until the target creature is affected by a dispel chaos spell. Until this point, the affected creature radiates chaos as if his alignment were chaotic. Furthermore, the affected creature’s natural attacks and weapon attacks are treated as chaotic-aligned for the purpose of bypassing damage reduction. As long as the gift persists, the gifted character’s eyes glow white. Dybbuk Illus. by C. Critchlow 620_95375_Ch2.indd 36 3/20/06 4:02:30 PM

37CHAPTER 2 DEMONS The gift also creates an unwholesome bond between the character and the dybbuk. As long as the gift persists, the dybbuk can monitor the character’s condition and location as if it had placed a status spell on that character. If the character dies, the dybbuk can attempt to possess his body as a standard action, despite any physical distance between the two (as long as the body and the dybbuk are on the same plane). Accepting a dybbuk’s gift is a chaotic act and could have repercussions on the recipient’s alignment. A creature can attempt to resist gaining a dybbuk’s gift with a DC 21 Will save. The save DC is Charisma-based. Withering Touch (Su) A dybbuk’s touch attack deals 1d6 points of Constitution damage as flesh and bone wither and die. Each time a dybbuk successfully damages a creature, it heals 5 points of damage to itself. A dybbuk cannot use this ability while possessing a body. Skills A dybbuk gains a +8 racial bonus on Hide checks. Disembodied intelligences spawned by the Abyss, dybbuks must possess the dead to work their evil. STRATEGY AND TACTICS A dybbuk avoids combat unless it is possessing a dead body or is unable to escape. When disembodied, it either uses dimension door and obscuring mist to hide or gain an advantageous position, or fear to scatter its foes. Once it narrows its foes down to a single target, it tries to kill its chosen victim at range with phantasmal killer. If this fails, it moves in to deliver a death touch. A dybbuk has no access to the memories of the creatures it possesses. After taking possession of a corpse, a dybbuk will try to insinuate itself into society, relying on its Bluff skill to pass itself off as the individual or creature whose body it inhabits. For this reason, it prefers to possess the body of a creature whose death is still unknown to the general populace. SAMPLE ENCOUNTER Dybbuks are solitary creatures most of the time. Multiple dybbuks are found near large battlefi elds or mass graves. Dybbuks have been known to fi ght each other over a single dead body, even if multiple other bodies of acceptable condition are available. A dybbuk cares as much about denying bodies to other dybbuks as it does about fi nding a good body to possess. The Enthusiastic Gravedigger (EL 8): A few days ago, the caretaker of a local cemetery passed away quietly in his home. His body was discovered soon afterward by a wandering dybbuk that had been drawn to the cemetery. The dybbuk possessed the dead caretaker and was delighted to discover his job would give it access to all manner of new hosts. Over the past several months, the dybbuk has engineered the deaths of several other people in the nearby town, using their bodies to work its evils before returning to the gravedigger’s body. The strange plague of crimes in town committed by recently deceased locals has left the law baffled. ECOLOGY A dybbuk in its natural form constantly scours its environment for a suitable host body. It knows that it can be killed when it is without a host and avoids combat as a result. Once it inhabits a body, it apes that body’s normal activities, although this is more of a means to an end (finding a better body) rather than being indicative of any real need to eat, sleep, or otherwise behave as a living creature should. Environment: Dybbuks are found in the Abyss at sites of great battles or near large graveyards. They are not fond of regions heavily populated with undead, since they have no use for bodies that are already animated. Typical Physical Characteristics: A dybbuk is incorporeal and silent. The creature’s basic shape is that of a writhing jellyfi sh with an indistinct humanoid face fl oating on the surface of its body. Scores of smoky tendrils trail from the underside of its body to a length of 5 feet. These tendrils braid and twist together, effectively forming two arms when needed. SOCIETY A dybbuk’s driving need is its eternal search for a perfect body. To a dybbuk, a perfect body is one that is undamaged from violence, quite handsome or beautiful for its race, and has many links to its society’s leadership. A dybbuk hopes to possess such a perfect body before anyone discovers the victim has died, so that it can go on living the victim’s life without arousing suspicion. Once a dybbuk has found a perfect body, it allows itself to be overtaken by that society’s sins and vices, plunging hedonistically into depravity until its body is ruined or it is otherwise forced to abandon its plaything. Much of a dybbuk’s existence actually consists of leapfrogging from lesser body to lesser body. It sees these bodies as stepping stones, with each transfer to a new body putting it closer to its intended target. A dybbuk typically has a specifi c person targeted as a perfect body and does what it can to get closer to this targeted victim, with the goal of either engineering the person’s accidental death or catching the victim alone (in which case it uses its death touch to kill its target). TYPICAL TREASURE Dybbuks do not keep treasure. Once a dybbuk possesses a body, it generally retains any treasure or gear that creature had on its person when it died, but this is done primarily for appearances. pqs DYBBUK LORE Characters with ranks in Knowledge (the planes) can learn more about dybbuks. When a character makes a successful skill check, the following lore is revealed, including the information from lower DCs. DC Result 20 A dybbuk is a disembodied demonic spirit that can inhabit and animate dead bodies. 25 A dybbuk cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, or fi re, and it is resistant to cold. 30 Killing a host body possessed by a dybbuk does nothing to hurt the dybbuk itself. Spells such as dismissal, dispel chaos, and dispel evil can drive it out of a body. 35 A dybbuk’s touch can cause instant death. pqs 620_95375_Ch2.indd 37 3/20/06 4:02:38 PM

38CHAPTER 2 DEMONS EKOLID The demon’s ant-shaped body is the size of a wolf, yet its numerous spindly legs spread nearly 6 feet across. Vertical mandibles gnash above a cluster of black eyes, and three pairs of membranous wings sprout from its thorax. Its insectlike body trails off into a writhing mass of tails, each tipped in an upward-curving stinger protruding from a distended bulge. Ekolid CR 4 Always CE Small outsider (chaotic, evil, extraplanar, obyrith) Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., true seeing; Listen +4, Spot +4 Aura form of madness (60-ft. radius, Will DC 14) Language Abyssal AC 17, touch 14, flat-footed 14 (+1 size, +3 Dex, +3 natural) hp 39 (6 HD); fast healing 5; DR 5/cold iron or lawful Immune mind-affecting spells and abilities, poison Resist acid 10, cold 10, electricity 10, fire 10 Fort +7, Ref +8, Will +9 Speed 30 ft. (6 squares), climb 30 ft., fly 60 ft. (average) Melee 6 stings +10 (1d4 plus implant egg) and bite +5 (1d4) Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. Base Atk +6; Grp +2 Abilities Str 10, Dex 16, Con 15, Int 10, Wis 18, Cha 13 SQ obyrith traits (see page 27), quickness Feats Combat Reflexes, Lightning Reflexes, Weapon Finesse Skills Balance +14, Climb +17, Hide +16, Jump +11, Listen +13, Move Silently +12, Spot +13, Tumble +14 Advancement 7–11 HD (Small); 12–18 HD (Medium); see text Form of Madness (Su) A creature within 60 feet that observes an ekolid must attempt a DC 14 Will save. Failure indicates the creature begins hallucinating that tiny biting insects are infesting its hair, skin, and clothes. The victim takes a –1 penalty on skill checks and must succeed on a DC 10 Concentration check in order to cast any spells until the insanity is cured by heal, greater restoration, miracle, or wish. A creature that makes the save is immune to that particular ekolid’s form of madness for 24 hours. This is a mind-affecting ability that does not affect chaotic evil outsiders. The save DC is Charisma-based. Looking at multiple ekolids requires a separate save for each one’s form of madness, but the effects are not cumulative. Implant Egg (Ex) Each time a creature takes damage from an ekolid’s sting attack, it must attempt a DC 15 Fortitude save. Failure indicates that the ekolid implants an egg just under the creature’s skin. An implanted egg hatches at the start of the ekolid’s next turn, at which point a ravenous ekolid grub gnaws its way out of the victim. This deals 1d6 points of damage per egg that hatches and nauseates the victim for 1 round (no matter how many eggs hatch). Remove disease or a similar effect destroys any unhatched eggs, but immunity to disease does not prevent infestation. Newly hatched ekolids are otherwise harmless, but grow to maturity quickly over the course of only a few hours. A hatched grub falls to the ground after crawling free of its host. A grub has 1 hit point and effectively no Armor Class. The save DC is Constitution-based. Quickness (Su) An ekolid is supernaturally quick. It can take an extra move action during its turn each round. An ekolid is a primeval insectoid demon that sees other life forms as little more than incubators for its eggs. STRATEGY AND TACTICS Although an ekolid is intelligent, its tactics in battle are remarkably simple. Its primary advantage is its speed. An ekolid rushes up to its prey and attempts to implant as many eggs as it can into every available target. Once an ekolid implants at least one egg in each creature in the group it is fighting, it retreats to a secure place to watch its young hatch. If any implanted creature survives the birthing process, the ekolid returns to implant more eggs in the survivors. SAMPLE ENCOUNTER Although it’s not unheard of to encounter a lone ekolid, these creatures more often travel in packs, roving in constant search of new victims in which to implant eggs and propagate their vile kind. The Infested Steading (EL 12): A group of hill giants have been acting up recently, raiding caravans and attacking villages. When the PCs arrive at the hill giant fortress to put a stop to the raids, however, they fi nd the giants have already been killed and the bodies are riddled with deep bloody holes. The hill giant shaman recently botched a call planar ally spell, releasing a 14 Hit Die ekolid that promptly killed him. The other giants, used to giving the shaman his privacy, didn’t realize what had happened for several hours, by which point nine of the ekolid’s young had grown to full strength. When a giant opened the door to the shaman’s chambers, he released the plague of ekolids into the rest of the fortress. Those giants that didn’t die are now hiding in the fortress dungeon, having abandoned the upper reaches to pqs EKOLID LORE Characters with ranks in Knowledge (the planes) can learn more about ekolids. When a character makes a successful skill check, the following lore is revealed, including the information from lower DCs. DC Result 16 An ekolid is incredibly fast. It resists damage from weapons not made of cold iron or infused with lawful energies. 21 An ekolid’s “stingers” are actually ovipositors that implant quick-hatching eggs in its victims. These eggs hatch in seconds, but remove disease can kill the eggs before they hatch. 26 Ekolids are primeval demons from a time before the tanar’ri ruled the Abyss. They are immune to mind-affecting attacks and poison, and they are resistant to acid, cold, electricity, and fi re damage. 31 Ekolids embody a primal fear of infestation. Their visages can unhinge even the most resolute of minds, forcing those who succumb to endure hallucinations of tiny biting insects for the rest of pqs their lives. 620_95375_Ch2.indd 38 3/20/06 4:02:45 PM

39CHAPTER 2 DEMONS the ekolids—who are even now preparing to expand into the surrounding countryside. ECOLOGY Ekolids are capable of seeding hundreds of eggs in an hour. They have little interest in dead bodies, so the availability of living victims is usually the only thing that moderates their violent reproductive cycle. Newly hatched ekolids grow rapidly, achieving full size over the course of only 6 hours. Fortunately, young ekolids are ravenous during this period and feed upon their siblings, generally ensuring that only one or two demons survive to adulthood. Environment: Ekolids prefer warm climates and are most often found in desert layers of the Abyss. They are particularly prevalent in the Driller’s Hives (layer 2) and the Plains of Gallenshu (layer 377), where they are a constant menace to that layer’s armanites. Ekolids have an obvious affi nity for the obyrith prince Obox-ob; they are particularly common on Zionyn (layer 663), where they serve him as minions. Typical Physical Characteristics: An ekolid combines the features of an ant, a scorpion, and a spider. Upon close observation, however, it is terrifyingly obvious that it is more than a mere insect. Although its body is only 2 feet long, its legs and ovipositors are long and spindly, making it seem much larger than it actually is. An ekolid weighs 45 pounds. Coloration ranges from brown to red, with a pale yellow underbelly and crimson mandibles. All ekolids have black eyes. SOCIETY Ekolids are driven by the urge to reproduce constantly, infesting non-ekolids with their eggs. The closest an ekolid comes to displaying recognizable emotion is the horrid gleeful chattering it makes while watching its young hatch from a screaming, living host. Ekolids generally don’t form societies. The most notable exception to this rule are the ekolids of Zionyn. Here, under the rule of Obox-ob, the ekolids build vast hivecities out of the bodies of those that have served as their incubators. They coat these bodies with a resinous ooze harvested from the shuddering oceans of Zionyn, resulting in morbid cathedrals and towers of the preserved dead. An ekolid city is a nightmarish mockery of a decadent human city, with marketplaces dedicated to supplying exotic creatures to serve as incubators, vast temples dedicated to Obox-ob, and immense open-air forums where the demons can observe “performance hatchings” by powerful ekolid nobles. Rarely, a group of Zionyn ekolids finds its way to the Material Plane, where it builds smaller scale versions of its Abyssal home. In these cases, the ekolids usually just cover the walls of existing stone structures with preserved dead, rather than using them as the primary construction materials. TYPICAL TREASURE Ekolids generally have no interest in treasure, leaving behind whatever their victims might have carried as they move on in search of new prey. On Zionyn, the seat of ekolid power, this is not the case. Many of the native ekolids have class levels and carry gear as appropriate for an NPC of their level. ADVANCED EKOLIDS Rumors of Large, Huge, or even Gargantuan ekolids with up to 54 Hit Dice persist, although if these creatures do exist, they likely dwell only in the most remote of all corners of the Abyss. These ekolids are said to be unusually dull-witted. On Zionyn, ekolids advance by class level. Most prefer to take levels in bard, cleric, ranger, or rogue. Ekolids do not have a favored class. Ekolid Illus. by T. Pendergraft 620_95375_Ch2.indd 39 3/20/06 4:02:52 PM

40CHAPTER 2 DEMONS GORISTRO A towering fi gure strides across the blasted terrain, its splayed feet sending tremors through the ground with each step. Its overly long arms are thick as tree trunks, and it has a leering, demonic bison’s head with forward sweeping horns. As it approaches, it drops to all fours, lumbering over the ground on its knuckles like a buildingsized gorilla. Goristro CR 16 Always CE Huge outsider (chaotic, evil, extraplanar, tanar’ri) Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., see invisibility; Listen +29, Spot +29 Language Abyssal AC 29, touch 7, flat-footed 29 (–2 size, –1 Dex, +22 natural) hp 300 (24 HD); fast healing 5; DR 15/cold iron or good Immune electricity, poison Resist acid 10, cold 10, fire 10; SR 27 Fort +22, Ref +13, Will +16 Speed 40 ft. (8 squares) Melee* 2 slams +29 (3d6+28/19–20) * Attacks include the Power Attack feat Ranged rock +21 (2d8+12) Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft. Base Atk +24; Grp +44 Atk Options Awesome Blow, Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Sunder, Power Attack Special Actions stamp, rock throwing Spell-Like Abilities (CL 12th): At will—fear (DC 15), levitate, spider climb Abilities Str 34, Dex 8, Con 27, Int 5, Wis 15, Cha 13 SQ powerful slam, tanar’ri traits (see page 28) Feats Awesome Blow, Blind-Fight, Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical (slam), Improved Initiative, Improved Natural Attack (slam), Improved Sunder Skills Diplomacy +3, Intimidate +28, Jump +34, Listen +29, Sense Motive +29, Spot +29 Advancement 25–30 HD (Huge); 31–40 HD (Gargantuan); 41+ HD (Colossal); see text Powerful Slam (Ex) A goristro’s slam attacks are treated as if they were two-handed weapons for purposes of applying modifiers to damage with Power Attack and from its Strength bonus. Rock Throwing (Ex) A goristro is trained to throw rocks weighing 60 to 80 pounds. These missiles have a range increment of 150 feet. See Invisibility (Ex) A goristro constantly sees invisible creatures, as if under the effect of a see invisibility spell. This ability cannot be dispelled. Stamp (Su) Up to three times per day, a goristro can produce a shock wave that sends its foes careening off-balance by stamping on the ground as a standard action. The shock wave lasts for 1 round and duplicates the effects of an earthquake spell in an 80-foot radius around the goristro. The goristro and others of its kind is unaffected by the earthquake. Behemoths of the battlefield, goristros are living siege engines kept by demon lords as favored pets. STRATEGY AND TACTICS A goristro is incapable of subtlety and has only a rudimentary grasp of combat tactics. It charges into battle and pounds enemies with its massive fi sts until the fi ght is over, resorting to hurled boulders only when it can’t easily reach creatures pestering it with ranged attacks. It uses a stamp or its fear spell-like ability if surrounded by more creatures than it can hit in a round. SAMPLE ENCOUNTER Goristros are often encountered as lumbering guardian pets in a more powerful demon’s lair. When a demonic army marches on a fortifi ed enclosure, a goristro or two acting as a catapult can make the difference between easy victory and a long, drawn-out siege. The Goristro Ultimatum (EL 16): A sadistic guildmaster of a local assassins guild has managed to purchase an iron fl ask containing a goristro. He sends a terse demand to the local government, demanding the release of a dozen of his killers from the city dungeon by the next nightfall, or he’ll use the goristro to punch a hole into the prison and let it rampage through the city. The PCs are hired to track down the guildmaster before the city is forced to release the ten imprisoned assassins. ECOLOGY In the wild Abyss, goristros are predators that make no distinction between food and playthings. If something moves and will fi t in its mouth, a goristro eats it. Like all outsiders, a goristro does not need to eat to survive. Rather, it eats for the sheer malicious joy of consuming living prey. For this reason, a goristro has no interest in eating plant matter. Environment: Goristros can be found anywhere in the Abyss, but are particularly common in Baphomet’s Endless Goristro Illus. by W. O’Connor 620_95375_Ch2.indd 40 3/20/06 4:03:02 PM

41CHAPTER 2 DEMONS Maze (layer 600) or in the Iron Wastes (layer 23), where they often inhabit the same caverns as the fiendish giants that rule that realm. Typical Physical Characteristics: A goristro combines features of a great bear, bison, and tremendously muscular humanoid into a lumbering frame that stands 20 feet tall. Individual colors vary from dark brown to sickly greenishyellow to purplish-gray. A goristro weighs 14,000 pounds. SOCIETY Left to their own devices, goristros have little ambition to be anything more than effective predators. Commanders of demonic armies value them greatly, however, not only for their value in sieges or assaults on fortifi ed defenses but also because they can be trained to serve as traveling citadels. A goristro citadel is a platform strapped to a goristro’s head and shoulders. A goristro carries this citadel as easily as an elephant might carry a palanquin. it hardly seems aware of it. These fortifi cations can provide cover for up to four Medium riders on a standard-sized goristro. A goristro in the service of a demon lord always bears that demon lord’s symbol, either branded or tattooed on their fl esh or carved into the base of their horns. Many Abyssal powers treat their goristros as prized pets and broker deals with owners of other goristros for breeding purposes. TYPICAL TREASURE Goristros are too stupid to keep treasure—they are just as likely to covet a king’s crown as they are a large rock that has been covered with blue paint. When a goristro is found with treasure, it is typically the hoard of a more powerful demon who uses the goristro as a guardian beast. Standard Treasure: 980 sp, 1,100 gp, sack of fl awed garnets worth 400 gp in all, +1 animated heavy steel shield, dagger of venom, gloves of swimming and climbing, wand of contagion (12 charges). ADVANCED GORISTROS It’s unclear whether goristros have a maximum size; the largest goristro ever spotted was a 200-foot-tall, 95 HD monstrosity named Bjornganal that walked around with a small village of fi endish araneas living on its back and shoulders. GUECUBU The coppery scent of fresh blood wells up strangely in the air, despite the lack of any obvious source. At the same time, you can’t shake the unsettling feeling of a forgotten nightmare—a nightmare whose meaning might save a life, if only its portent could be recalled. Guecubu CR 4 Always CE Medium outsider (chaotic, evil, extraplanar, incorporeal, loumara) Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +10, Spot +10 Aura haunting aura (120-ft. radius, Will DC 15) Languages Abyssal, Common; telepathy 100 ft. AC 15, touch 15, flat-footed 13 (+2 Dex, +3 deflection) hp 26 (4 HD); DR 5/cold iron or lawful Immune acid, electricity, fire Resist cold 10 Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +7 Speed fly 30 ft. (perfect) (6 squares) Melee touch +6 (sleep) Ranged thrown object +7 (2d6) Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. Base Atk +4; Grp — Special Actions possession, telekinesis Abilities Str —, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 17 SQ incorporeal (MM 315), loumara traits (see page 27), natural invisibility Feats Ability Focus (sleeping touch), Persuasive Skills Bluff +12, Diplomacy +12, Disguise +10 (+12 acting in character), Forgery +7, Intimidate +14, Listen +10, Sleight of Hand +11, Spot +10 Advancement 5–20 HD (Medium) Haunting Aura (Su) Outside of a host body, a guecubu’s presence is unnerving and distracting. Any living creature within 60 feet of a guecubu in its natural form must succeed on a DC 15 Will save or be shaken for as long as it remains in this area. An affected creature that attempts to rest within a guecubu’s haunting aura can do so but gains no benefits from sleeping and awakens fatigued, as if it had not slept at all. Once a creature makes this saving throw, it is immune to that particular guecubu’s haunting aura for 24 hours. Natural Invisibility (Su) This ability is constant, allowing a guecubu to remain invisible even when attacking. This ability is inherent and not subject to the invisibility purge spell. Possession (Su) A guecubu can possess any sleeping animal or humanoid. It must enter a square occupied by the sleeping creature to possess it. The victim is entitled to a DC 17 Will save to resist possession; however, a successful save does not cause the victim to awaken, nor is the victim aware of the possession attempt even after waking (although the victim can dimly recall some strange, otherworldly dream). The save DC is Charisma-based. A guecubu can take on any of the following roles while possessing a creature: ally, controller, enemy, mutterer, or rider. See Demonic Possession, page 21, for more information. Sleep Touch (Su) A creature touched by a guecubu in its natural form must make a successful DC 15 Will save or immediately fall into a deep sleep for 1 hour. A sleeping creature is helpless. Slapping or wounding the sleeping pqs GORISTRO LORE Characters with ranks in Knowledge (the planes) can learn more about goristros. When a character makes a successful skill check, the following lore is revealed, including the information from lower DCs. DC Result 22 Goristros are among the largest tanar’ri and are used as living siege engines or battle platforms by other demons. 27 Not only does a goristro possess the standard resistances and immunities of a tanar’ri but also it heals its wounds remarkably fast. 32 Goristros are capable of clambering along walls like a spider or fl oating up into the air using levitation. Against foes they still can’t reach, they pqs hurl massive boulders. 620_95375_Ch2.indd 41 3/20/06 4:03:11 PM

42CHAPTER 2 DEMONS creature awakens it, but normal noise does not. Waking a creature is a standard action. This is a mindaffecting sleep effect. The save DC is Charisma-based and includes the +2 bonus granted by the guecubu’s Ability Focus feat. Telekinesis (Su) A guecubu can use telekinesis as a standard action (caster level equals the guecubu’s Hit Dice, maximum 20th). A guecubu can use this ability even while possessing a creature without that creature realizing it is technically the source of the effect. If a guecubu elects to hurl something such as a boulder or other dense object, it deals 2d6 points of damage on a hit. Weapons hurled in this manner deal damage appropriate for the weapons in question. A guecubu does not apply any Strength modifier to damage dealt by telekinetically hurled objects. Its chance to hit is equal to its base attack bonus + its Charisma modifier. Using possession, the formless guecubu takes over the bodies of living creatures to advance strange patterns of murder. STRATEGY AND TACTICS The incorporeal guecubu has limited options in combat when not possessing a living creature. Its touch causes sleep, and its natural invisibility allows it to fl it through combat without fear to reach those whose bodies it covets. Its only other mode of attack is to rely on telekinesis to hurl objects weighing up to 50 pounds through the air. While possessing a living creature, a guecubu uses the best tactics available to that particular creature. See Demonic Possession, page 21, for options. SAMPLE ENCOUNTER Guecubus are always encountered alone, since each of these evil demonic spirits thinks of itself as the single true manifestation of the Abyss’s will. A guecubu isn’t particular about who or what it possesses. The Haunted Soldier (EL 4): The PCs come across a muttering, glassy-eyed soldier staggering down the side of the road. The man’s name is Kolten. Attempts to communicate with him meet with failure—all he does is mutter about the ghosts that killed his family. Kolten is possessed by a guecubu that killed his entire family over the course of the last week. The guecubu made sure to use telekinesis to make the deaths look like accidents, and has taken great glee in watching the man go insane. Now, however, the guecubu realizes that the soldier has outlived his usefulness. A few moments after the PCs begin speaking to Kolten, the guecubu starts using telekinesis to attack the soldier’s body, attempting to kill him. Whether or not it’s successful, the guecubu moves on to follow the PCs. It attempts to possess one of them at the fi rst likely opportunity without being noticed, so it can start its cycle of destruction anew. ECOLOGY Most of the time, a guecubu acts like a parasite. Once it has claimed a host, it generally assumes the role of rider, allowing its host to continue to exist as it will. Many victims of guecubu possession don’t even realize they’re possessed. At some point, a guecubu might strike out of boredom or crave a new host. In either case, it begins asserting itself, driving the host to commit murders and other heinous crimes until it can no longer do so. Environment: A guecubu prefers to dwell in rural areas, where it is less likely that spellcasters capable of exorcising it from a host can interfere with its plans. On the Abyss, guecubus can be found anywhere; they are particularly numerous in the Dreaming Gulf (layer 230), where the roving dreams of dead gods drift on alien currents and sometimes open portals to the Material Plane. A farmer becomes possessed by a guecubu Illus. by W. O’Connor pqs GUECUBU LORE Characters with ranks in Knowledge (the planes) can learn more about guecubus. When a character makes a successful skill check, the following lore is revealed, including the information from lower DCs. DC Result 14 Demonic spirits such as guecubus exist only to murder the living. They have no real desire to gather treasure, gain power, or rule nations 19 A guecubu possesses no physical body. Its presence is easily dismissed as a bad dream, symptom of fatigue, or minor hallucination. 24 Guecubus are telekinetic. Their touch can put a creature into a deep sleep. 29 A guecubu’s presence can go undetected for pqs months, even by its host. 620_95375_Ch2.indd 42 3/20/06 4:03:18 PM

43CHAPTER 2 DEMONS Typical Physical Characteristics: A guecubu has no physical body. It is naturally invisible and incorporeal as a result. True seeing or see invisibility reveals a guecubu as little more than a twitching gray mass of vapor about 5 feet in diameter. SOCIETY Guecubus are created spontaneously in the Dreaming Gulf (layer 230), gaining life of their own as they become infused with the raw stuff of the surrounding Abyssal chaos. A newly formed guecubu might recall portions of its source dream as distant memories, but generally they are defi ned more by their current host than by any real personality of their own. A guecubu’s driving need is to commit murder. Guecubus believe that murders form a pattern, and that when this pattern is complete, the mystery of existence might be revealed. This belief might or might not have actual merit, but certainly guecubus believe it. The great pleasure they take in forcing their possessed hosts to kill friends and family is a testament to their cruelty. TYPICAL TREASURE As a bodiless creature, a guecubu without a host has little need for treasure. When a guecubu possesses a victim, that victim typically possesses gear as appropriate for his class—although after the guecubu has been in command for a length of time, the creature’s possessions takes a turn for the macabre as it starts to collect trophies from its murdered victims. LILITU This demon could easily be mistaken for a beautiful woman at a glance, a lithe and graceful fi gure destined to infl ame desire in those around her. A closer look, however, reveals sharp talons, vacant white eyes, and cloven feet, distorting and perverting that beauty into something far more disturbing. Burnt and broken fragments of wings protrude from her back, and her four writhing, ten-foot-long, sting-tipped tails give testament to her ruinous nature. Lilitu CR 12 Always CE Medium outsider (chaotic, evil, extraplanar, tanar’ri) Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +22, Spot +22 Languages Abyssal, Common; telepathy 100 ft. AC 26, touch 18, flat-footed 18 (+8 Dex, +8 natural) hp 119 (14 HD); DR 10/cold iron or good Immune electricity, poison Resist acid 10, cold 10, fire 10; SR 23 Fort +13, Ref +17, Will +14 Weakness divine magic Speed 40 ft. (8 squares) Melee 4 stingers +22 (1d4+3 plus poison) and 2 claws +20 (1d6+1) Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with stingers) Base Atk +14; Grp +17 Special Actions Combat Reflexes, lilitu’s gift Cleric Spells Prepared (CL 9th): 5th—lesser planar bindingD, mass cure light wounds, plane shift (DC 25), raise dead 4th—confusionD (DC 24), cure critical wounds (2), freedom of movement, imbue with spell ability 3rd—bestow curse (DC 23), cure serious wounds (3), dispel magic, nondetectionD (DC 23) 2nd—cure moderate wounds (4), demoncallD*, enthrall (DC 22), hold person (DC 22), silence (DC 22) 1st—command (DC 21), cure light wounds (4), demonfleshD*, divine favor, shield of faith 0—cure minor wounds (4), detect magic, mending D: Domain spell. Domains: Demonic, Trickery. * New spell described in Chapter 4. Spell-Like Abilities (CL 14th): At will—charm monster (DC 24), detect good, detect thoughts (DC 22), disguise self (DC 21, no limit on duration), fly, suggestion (DC 23), greater teleport (self plus 50 pounds of objects only), sending, tongues 1/day—dominate person (DC 25), quickened suggestion (DC 23), symbol of persuasion (DC 26) Abilities Str 17, Dex 26, Con 18, Int 19, Wis 20, Cha 30 SQ item use, mock divinity, shroud alignment, tanar’ri traits (see page 28) Feats Combat Reflexes, Dark Speech*, Persuasive, Quicken Spell-Like Ability (suggestion), Weapon Finesse * New feat described on page 85 Skills Bluff +29, Concentration +21, Diplomacy +31, Disguise +27 (+29 acting), Forgery +21, Heal +22, Intimidate +31, Knowledge (religion) +21, Listen +22, Perform (any one) +27, Sense Motive +22, Spot +22 Advancement by character class; Favored Class cleric; see text Item Use (Ex) A lilitu can use any magic item as though she had successfully used the Use Magic Device skill. Lilitu’s Gift (Su) Once per day, a lilitu can embrace a willing or helpless living creature as a standard action and grant it a +2 profane bonus to Charisma and a +2 profane bonus on saving throws. The effect persists for 24 hours or until the target creature is affected by a dispel chaos. Until the gift expires or is removed, the affected creature radiates chaos as if his alignment were chaotic. Moreover, its natural weapons, as well as any weapons it wields, are treated as chaotic-aligned for the purpose of bypassing damage reduction. As long as the character possesses the gift, the lilitu’s name (written in Abyssal) appears as a tattoo somewhere on the character’s body. Most lilitu take pains to place this mark somewhere that’s easily hidden. The recipient of a lilitu’s gift cannot see his own tattoo. As long as the gift remains active, the lilitu can monitor the character’s condition and location as if she had placed a status spell on that character. She can communicate telepathically with the character at all times, despite any intervening distance (even across planes), and by concentrating can observe the world around the character as if she were there in his place. Lilitus often use this ability to influence and trick a character into performing chaotic or evil acts. Accepting a lilitu’s gift is a chaotic act and could have repercussions on the recipient’s alignment. A creature can resist gaining a lilitu’s gift by making a DC 27 Will save. The save DC is Charisma-based. Mock Divinity (Ex) A lilitu casts spells as a 9th-level cleric, except that she uses her Charisma score to determine bonus spells per day and spell saving throw DCs. She has access to the spheres of Demonic and Trickery. She cannot spontaneously cast cure or inflict spells, nor can she turn or rebuke undead. Poison (Su) Stinger—Injury, Fortitude DC 21, 2d6 Wis/1d4 negative levels. The save DC is Constitution-based. Shroud Alignment (Ex) Spells and spell-like abilities that have the good descriptor treat a lilitu as if her alignment was good. Magic items are similarly fooled. 620_95375_Ch2.indd 43 3/20/06 4:03:27 PM

44CHAPTER 2 DEMONS Vulnerable to Divine Magic (Ex) A lilitu’s heretical nature renders her particularly susceptible to divine magic. She makes all saving throws against divine magic at a –2 penalty, and checks to overcome her spell resistance with a divine spell gain a +4 sacred bonus. The sly and seductive lilitus are masters of mocking the divine. They infi ltrate temples, corrupt priests, and slowly convert their victims to the worship of the demon lords. STRATEGY AND TACTICS Like her lesser succubus kin, a lilitu prefers to avoid direct physical confrontations, relying on dominated minions or other allies who don’t realize her true nature to rise to her defense. She remains at range, using her cleric spells or her spell-like abilities to support her allies. Given the time, she always has fl y and freedom of movement in effect on herself before combat begins. The fi rst three rounds of combat are always augmented with quickened suggestions. Lilitus are particularly fond of suggesting armored characters quickly remove their armor so she can get a better look at them, or suggesting to divine spellcasters that their holy symbols and other religious paraphernalia has been corrupted by her presence and should be hurled away immediately. Unlike a succubus, a lilitu is a fairly competent melee combatant. If forced into melee, a lilitu reverts to her true form and uses her stingers and claws against the nearest cleric, paladin, or other divine spellcaster, saving other targets for last. SAMPLE ENCOUNTER Lilitus do not usually enjoy the company of their own kind, finding them abrasive and off-putting. They regularly cavort with other kinds of demons, especially the more ambitious ones. The Secret Library (EL 18): A 6th-level lilitu cleric named Ayarani made an exciting discovery while tormenting a priest of Wee Jas—namely, that the great cathedral of Wee Jas in the nation’s capital city houses a secret library. That library is reputed to contain a map leading to a hidden vault, in which is stored the legendary Staff of Fraz-Urb’luu. After killing that cleric, Ayarani managed to infi ltrate the great cathedral of Wee Jas, posing as a new cleric. She is slowly working her way into a position of power in the church, since only the high priest knows the route through the heavily guarded and trapped library. The PCs could learn of Ayarani’s presence in the church as she begins corrupting its clergy in an attempt to get to the library below. ECOLOGY Lilitus subsist on the profane joys of corrupting priesthoods and twisting the worship of the faithful to that of a particular demon lord. Their natures shield them from most forms of magical detection, and their ability to pose as powerful clerics goes a long way toward allowing them to gain an impressionable town’s gratitude. A lilitu is born from the ashes of a slain succubus. The ritual of transformation and ascension to lilitu form is different for each succubus but always involves a decadent and shocking ritual that culminates in the sacrifi ce of an entire congregation of faithful worshipers who believe they are worshiping a benign deity. The succubus must be able to cast divine spells and must lead the ritual (which is usually disguised to resemble a harvest ritual) to its climax—the burning of the church and its faithful in a fi re set from a portal opened to one of the deepest furnaces of the Abyss. Typically, this portal is created by means of a gate (usually a spell cast by the succubus from a scroll). The succubus’s body is consumed in a blast of supernaturally hot fi re, but she is reborn from the ashes as a lilitu. Environment: Lilitus can be encountered anywhere on the Abyss. On the Material Plane, they prefer urban regions where they can blend into crowds to more easily work their corruptions on religious society. Typical Physical Characteristics: A lilitu’s true form is a disturbing cross between a beautiful humanoid woman and a cruel demonic creature. It loses its wings in the transformation from succubi to lilitu, but retains burnt and ragged tatters that protrude from its shoulders. A lilitu stands 6 feet tall and weighs 125 pounds. SOCIETY A lilitu spends much of her time in an assumed form, usually that of a specifi c attractive humanoid who plays an increasingly important role in the local religious scene. Once she has corrupted a particular temple and its faithful to the worship of a demon lord, she leaves the temple in the able hands of a dominated minion and moves on to her next target. Over time, a lilitu creates a vast network of interconnected cults, outwardly worshiping different deities but in actuality Lilitu paying homage to one of the rulers of the Abyss. She might Illus. by T. Baxa 620_95375_Ch2.indd 44 3/20/06 4:03:34 PM

45CHAPTER 2 DEMONS need to teleport back and forth to renew dominations, but eventually her minions succumb to her influence so completely that when they learn the truth about their faith, they accept it gladly. Lilitus regard other lilitus as competition, even if they are working for the same demon lord. A lilitu that learns of another’s proximity turns all her resources to that interloper’s destruction. Lilitus treat succubi with similar disdain, since any succubus can become a lilitu, given time. Most lilitus ascribe to the “kill them before they become trouble” approach to dealing with succubi. Some lilitus have even been known to hire adventurers to hunt down and destroy succubi—they take delight in the delicious irony of a group of do-gooders unknowingly working for an evil greater than that which they are sent to end. Lilitus who have proven their worth on the Material Plane often serve demon lords as favored diplomats, messengers, spies, and assassins. They get along well enough with most other kinds of demons and are particularly fond of glabrezus. TYPICAL TREASURE A lilitu usually carries magical gear and equipment appropriate for an NPC of a level equal to her CR. For standard lilitus, this amounts to 27,000 gp in gear. You should customize a lilitu’s gear to match what clerics normally own in your campaign. A sample selection of gear follows (the items listed here are not calculated into the lilitu’s statistics above). Standard Treasure: +1 glamered chain shirt, masterwork weapon associated with current disguised faith, pearl of power (3rd), amulet of mighty fi sts +1, incense of meditation, elixir of truth, miscellaneous jewelry worth 3,000 gp. ADVANCED LILITUS All lilitu clerics worship one of the demon lords (most of them worship Graz’zt or Malcanthet). Lilitus also make excellent bards and sorcerers; those that reach a level that grants access to 2nd-level arcane spells often start taking levels in mystic theurge. Many lilitus instead progress as thaumaturgists, swapping out their Persuasive feat for Spell Focus (conjuration). MANE This three-foot-tall humanoid is bloated with rot and rancid gas. Maggots squirm in the sores on its pasty gray fl esh. Its fi lmy white eyes show the barest sign of sentience, and its claws and jagged teeth betray its feral nature. Mane CR 1 Always CE Small outsider (chaotic, evil, extraplanar, tanar’ri) Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen –4, Spot –4 Languages telepathy 100 ft. AC 14, touch 11, flat-footed 14 (+1 size, +3 natural) hp 6 (1 HD); DR 5/cold iron or good Immune electricity, poison Resist acid 10, cold 10, fire 10 Fort +4, Ref +2, Will –2 Speed 20 ft. (4 squares) Melee 2 claws +2 (1d3) and bite +0 (1d4) Base Atk +1; Grp –3 Abilities Str 10, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 3, Wis 3, Cha 3 SQ acidic cloud, tanar’ri traits (see page 28) Feats Multiattack Skills Climb +4, Hide +8, Jump +4, Move Silently +4 Advancement see text Acidic Cloud (Su) When a mane dies, it dissolves into a cloud of noxious vapor. Anyone within 10 feet of a slain mane who fails a DC 12 Reflex save takes 1d6 points of acid damage. Simpering and pitiful, the mane is the lowest of the low, a feeble tanar’ri formed directly from the soul of an evil creature sent to the Abyss. STRATEGY AND TACTICS Manes are nearly mindless demons devoted to savagery and fury. They obey the commands of any demons more powerful than themselves, including blindly plunging into battle, heedless of any danger. They are slow, stupid, and largely ineffective combatants, but in large groups they make good use of swarm tactics. SAMPLE ENCOUNTER On many layers the Abyss, manes are encountered in staggering numbers. Fortunately for their adversaries, these demons are usually encountered in smaller packs of six to fi fteen individuals. The Traveling Corpse (EL 4): The wizard Nelarak discovered the formula for becoming a lich late in his bitter and lonely life. Aged past the point where he could walk, he relied on a troop of fi ve enslaved manes for transport; the fi ve demons carried his large overstuffed throne when he needed to travel. He died in this chair after ordering his demon slaves to bring him to a nearby necropolis so he could study hidden secrets there. Without further orders, his minions have wandered the broken hills and woodlands aimlessly, carrying their load and defending it from anything that tries to come too near. Nelarak’s wandering throne now approaches a small village. When it arrives, who knows what mayhem the fi ve demons might sow? pqs LILITU LORE Characters with ranks in Knowledge (the planes) can learn more about lilitus. When a character makes a successful skill check, the following lore is revealed, including the information from lower DCs. DC Result 24 A lilitu takes great delight in corrupting priests into unknowing worshipers of demon lords. 29 Lilitus have poisonous stingers that cloud the senses and leech away life energy. 34 A lilitu can grant a boon to a mortal creature that augments beauty, eloquence, and personal magnetism while also increasing health, refl exes, and willpower. 39 Lilitus are masters of trickery and can pose as clerics with such skill that even magic cannot pqs reveal their deception. 620_95375_Ch2.indd 45 3/20/06 4:03:43 PM

46CHAPTER 2 DEMONS ECOLOGY Manes are the chaff and rabble of the Abyss, contributing nothing but their own pitiful hate to the surrounding environs. Environment: Manes can appear anywhere in the Abyss. They are sold as slaves or food in Abyssal cities, hunted by more powerful demons for sport, or simply left to wander aimlessly, seeking an end to their horrid non-lives. Typical Physical Characteristics: A mane stands 3 feet tall. Despite its bloated appearance, it is surprisingly light, weighing only 15 pounds. SOCIETY Manes travel in gibbering, snarling hordes when not given a higher purpose by more powerful demons. Although physically weak, their hatred drives them to attack anything that isn’t a demon. Among the demon lords, they are viewed as a widely used, expendable fi ghting force. Many demon armies contain vast mobs of thousands of manes used to wash over an opposing force, much in the same way a controlled fi re can be used to assault a large army. TYPICAL TREASURE Manes do not understand the concept of treasure and do not carry such with them. ADVANCED CREATURE Manes do not advance in the standard manner. Rather, they are occasionally transformed into more powerful demons (usually at the whim of the Abyss). Once in a great while, a particularly cruel or unusually intelligent mane catches the eye of a powerful demon that engineers the mane’s “promotion” to a more powerful tanar’ri. There is no order to these transformations; a mane could be turned into a lowly rutterkin, or it could reform as a more powerful demon, such as a vrock. A mane only rarely retains shattered fragments of its memories as a mortal, yet those creatures are the most likely to ascend to higher forms of demonic life. In the most despicable and cruel of these cases, a mane can eventually rise to become a powerful tanar’ri, such as a molydeus or balor. MOLYDEUS The fi end stands 12 feet tall and wields a massive greataxe carved with jagged runes and a glittering red ruby set into the base of its shaft. The demon has crimson skin, clawed hands, and the head of a leering demonic hyena with silver eyes and great slavering fangs. A writhing snake protrudes from the side of the demon’s neck, coiling and hissing menacingly. Molydeus CR 19 Always CE Large outsider (chaotic, evil, extraplanar, tanar’ri) Init +10; Senses all-around vision, darkvision 60 ft., true seeing; Listen +29, Spot +29 Languages Abyssal, Auran, Celestial, Common, Draconic, Ignan, Infernal; telepathy 100 ft. AC 40, touch 17, flat-footed 33 (–1 size, +6 Dex, +18 natural, +4 armor, +3 deflection) hp 275 (19 HD); fast healing 30; DR 15/cold iron and good Immune electricity, poison Resist acid 10, cold 10, fire 10; SR 30 Fort +21, Ref +17, Will +18; evasion Speed 40 ft. (8 squares) Melee +1 dancing vorpal cold iron greataxe +28/+23/+18/+13 (3d6+14/19–20/×3) and bite +25 (2d6+4) and bite +25 (1d6+4 plus poison) or Melee +1 dancing vorpal cold iron greataxe +28/+23/+18/+13 (3d6+14/19–20/×3) and 2 claws each +27 (1d6+9) and bite +25 (2d6+4) and bite +25 (1d6+4 plus poison) Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft. Base Atk +19; Grp +32 Atk Options Combat Expertise, Improved Trip, Improved Disarm Special Actions piercing strike, snakebite, summon tanar’ri Combat Gear horn of blasting Mane Illus. by A. Swekel pqs MANE LORE Characters with ranks in Knowledge (the planes) can learn more about manes. When a character makes a successful skill check, the following lore is revealed, including the information from lower DCs. DC Result 11 Manes are the lowest form of demonic life, the transformed physical shell of a chaotic evil mortal’s soul after it reaches the Abyss. 16 Manes are often used as currency between evil spellcasters and evil outsiders. 21 A mane is a feeble combatant, but it bursts into a pqs burning cloud of acidic vapor when slain. 620_95375_Ch2.indd 46 3/20/06 4:03:52 PM

47CHAPTER 2 DEMONS Spell-Like Abilities (CL 19th): At will—baleful polymorph (DC 24), blasphemy (DC 26), blindness/deafness (DC 20), charm person (DC 20), fear (DC 23), fly, greater dispel magic, invisibility, greater teleport (self plus 50 lb. of objects only), suggestion (DC 22), telekinesis (DC 24), vampiric touch (+27 melee touch) 7/day—dimensional lock, lightning bolt (DC 22) 3/day—quickened telekinesis (DC 24) 1/day—trap the soul (DC 28) Abilities Str 28, Dex 22, Con 30, Int 21, Wis 24, Cha 28 SQ all-around vision, evasion, tanar’ri traits (see page 28) Feats Combat Expertise, Improved Critical (greataxe), Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, Improved Trip, Multiattack, Quicken SpellLike Ability (telekinesis), TrackB Skills Bluff +31, Concentration +32, Diplomacy +35, Forgery +27, Intimidate +33, Knowledge (any one) +27, Knowledge (the planes) +27, Listen +29, Search +27, Sense Motive +29, Spot +29, Survival +29 (+31 to follow tracks), Use Magic Device +31 Possessions combat gear plus +1 dancing vorpal cold iron greataxe, bracers of armor +4, ring of protection +3, ring of evasion, gems worth 1,000 gp Advancement 20–29 HD (Large); 30–57 HD (Huge) All-Around Vision (Ex) A molydeus’s snake head constantly peers in all directions, granting the demon a +4 racial bonus on Search and Spot checks. A molydeus can’t be flanked. Dancing Vorpal Axe (Ex) A molydeus’s +1 dancing vorpal cold iron greataxe is an extension of its being. If the molydeus is slain, its axe melts away into ichor. A molydeus whose axe is destroyed can manifest a new one by taking part in an 8-hour ritual on the Woeful Escarand (layer 400), where it uses manes as the raw materials to forge a new axe. Once the new axe is created, the previous axe (or its remains) melts away. Piercing Strike (Su) A molydeus can strike through many forms of damage reduction with its weapons. The first time it strikes a foe, damage reduction applies normally to the blow. All following strikes automatically ignore damage reduction, save for damage reduction that requires a specific material (such as silver, cold iron, or adamantine) to bypass, epic damage reduction, or damage reduction that doesn’t allow any form of bypass (such as that granted to barbarians). Poison (Su) Snake bite—Injury, Fort DC 29, 2d6 Con drain/ 2d6 Con drain. A creature reduced to 0 Constitution by this poison immediately transforms into a mane. Only a miracle or wish can reverse this transformation. Molydeus venom is supernaturally potent and can harm creatures normally immune to poison (including those under the effects of spells such as neutralize poison or heroes’ feast, but not constructs, oozes, plants, or undead). Against such creatures, its effects are reduced to 1d6 Con for both initial and secondary damage. Snakebite (Ex) A molydeus’s snake head can strike independently of the demon’s other actions. It can make a bite attack as a free action once per round while the molydeus takes any other standard or full-round action. The snake head always strikes as a secondary attack. Summon Tanar’ri (Sp) Once per day, a molydeus can automatically summon 1d6 babaus, 1d4 chasmes, or one marilith. This ability is the equivalent of a 9th-level spell (CL 19th). True Seeing (Su) A molydeus has a continuous true seeing ability, as the spell (CL 19th). This ability cannot be dispelled. A molydeus is a powerful tanar’ri that serves as an enforcer for a powerful demon lord. STRATEGY AND TACTICS A molydeus is one of the most dangerous and ruthless tanar’ri, feared by many even more than the dreaded balor. A molydeus always enters combat with fl y and invisibility in effect if it can, and makes sure to place a dimensional lock in the combat arena to prevent creatures from escaping by the use of teleport. A molydeus is fearless in combat, trusting its fast healing, spell resistance, and damage reduction to protect it from anything its enemies might use against it. Once in melee range, a molydeus activates the dancing quality of its axe, which makes a full attack action. Its snake head bites as well, and it uses a quickened telekinesis to try to disarm any weapons wielded by its enemies (with a preference for disarming cold iron weapons). Over the next three rounds it repeats these actions, adding spelllike abilities (blasphemy, lightning bolt, and baleful polymorph, in that order). Note that a molydeus’s Concentration bonus is high enough that it automatically makes any check to use spell-like abilities in combat. SAMPLE ENCOUNTER A molydeus is almost always encountered alone or with a troupe of weaker demons; it is a rare event in which a Molydeus Illus. by F. Vohwinkel 620_95375_Ch2.indd 47 3/20/06 4:04:01 PM

48CHAPTER 2 DEMONS molydeus is forced to confront another of its kind. A molydeus encountered away from its home is almost always hunting a particular quarry, be it a rogue demon or a powerful mortal that has insulted a demon lord. Some powerful spellcasters have the hubris to try using gate spells to call a specifi c molydeus to do their bidding. These spellcasters are well advised to have powerful assistance at hand, for a molydeus does not suffer taking orders from anything other than the demon lords themselves. Abyssal Bounty Hunter (EL 20): Zuthnagoti is a grizzled molydeus that has served Graz’zt for centuries. Recently, the Dark Prince betrayed Zuthnagoti and left him to die at the hands of a group of three mariliths in the service of Pale Night. Zuthnagoti survived the battle and fl ed to the Material Plane through a one-way portal. He emerged in a swampland dominated by a large tribe of lizardfolk. Zuthnagoti has gathered these tribes under his command and plans to use them to wage war against the nearby human nations, hoping to gather enough slaves and resources to return to the Abyss and exact revenge on his former master by pledging his army’s service to Orcus or Demogorgon. ECOLOGY Sometimes a molydeus is assigned to eliminate a particular threat. More often, however, a molydeus simply wanders the Abyss searching for conscripts, Blood War deserters, or unwelcome intruders, meting out punishment as it sees fi t. Molydei serve as generals for demon lords, and on some layers of the Abyss they rule vast nations of demons as if they were themselves lords. Environment: Molydei are found throughout the Abyss, although they are by no means numerous. A single layer might have one molydeus demon. Typical Physical Characteristics: A molydeus stands 12 feet tall and weighs 1,500 pounds. SOCIETY When not hunting rogue demons or other interlopers, a molydeus relaxes at its Abyssal fortress, basking in the glory of its past victories. Other demons fear it, if not for its ability to punch through damage reduction with ease then for the fact that its venom can poison even other demons. The threat of transformation into a mane is one of the few shared fears among demonkind, and no creature causes it more than the molydeus. TYPICAL TREASURE Molydei collect vast amounts of treasure over their immortal lives. Although much of this treasure is spent on bribes and other forms of upkeep for their Abyssal holdings, they usually keep enough on their person to satisfy their greed and to augment their already impressive abilities. All molydei demons own a +1 dancing vorpal cold iron greataxe. These axes are always set with at least one large ruby worth at least 20,000 gp that the demon uses for its trap the soul spell-like ability. These axes are as much a symbol of their power as they are weapons; a molydeus that loses its axe spares no expense tracking it down and reclaiming it. Since a molydeus generally has quadruple the normal treasure for a creature of its CR, it usually owns additional gear worth a total 80,000 gp and ready cash and art objects at its Abyssal lair worth 20,000 gp. Standard Treasure: +1 dancing vorpal cold iron greataxe, ring of protection +3, ring of evasion, bracers of armor +4, horn of blasting, 1,000 gp in gems. The molydeus’s statistics given above incorporate everything from this list. NABASSU The demon’s body is tall and sinewy. The head is long, with small horns and ears like a bat’s. Its teeth are practically tusks, set in a mouth that seems too large for its head. Its eyes glow with a hateful yellow light. Its long fi ngers end in equally long talons, and scales cover its wings and skin. Tufts of black fur stud the tops of its shoulders. The demon’s back and arms are dull black, while the chest and belly are a sickly dirty gray. Juvenile Nabassu CR 5 Always CE Medium outsider (chaotic, evil, extraplanar, tanar’ri) Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +10, Spot +10 Languages Abyssal, Common; telepathy 100 ft. AC 18, touch 12, flat-footed 16 (+2 Dex, +6 natural) hp 52 (5 HD); DR 5/cold iron or good Immune electricity, poison Resist acid 10, cold 10, fire 10; SR 16 Fort +10, Ref +6, Will +8 Speed 40 ft. (8 squares), fly 60 ft. (average) Melee bite +11 (1d8+6) and 2 claws +6 (1d4+3) Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. Base Atk +5; Grp +11 Atk Options sneak attack +2d6 Special Actions death-stealing gaze, feed Spell-Like Abilities (CL 5th): At will—darkness, obscuring mist Abilities Str 22, Dex 14, Con 22, Int 14, Wis 15, Cha 17 SQ camouflage, tanar’ri traits (see page 28) Feats Improved Initiative, Iron Will Skills Bluff +11, Concentration +14, Diplomacy +5, Hide +10 (+18 in underground or barren environments), Intimidate +13, Jump +16, Knowledge (local) +10, Listen +10, Move Silently +10, Spot +10, Tumble +12 Advancement 6–14 HD (Medium); see text pqs MOLYDEUS LORE Characters with ranks in Knowledge (the planes) can learn more about molydei. When a character makes a successful skill check, the following lore is revealed, including the information from lower DCs. DC Result 29 Molydei are comparable to the balors in power. They police the Abyss, slaughtering troublesome lesser demons. Some serve as generals in Abyssal armies. 34 A molydeus fi ghts with a dancing vorpal axe made of cold iron, and its strikes can penetrate most forms of damage reduction. 39 A molydeus heals at a phenomenal rate until slain. 44 The poison of a molydeus’s snake head is virulent enough to harm creatures normally immune to poison. Those slain by this vile poison are pqs transformed into manes. 620_95375_Ch2.indd 48 3/20/06 4:04:11 PM

49CHAPTER 2 DEMONS Camouflage (Ex) A juvenile nabassu has the ability to change the coloration of its flesh between various shades of black, gray, and brown. As a result, it gains a +8 circumstance bonus on Hide checks made in underground or barren environments. Death-Stealing Gaze (Su) 30 feet, Fort DC 15 negates, bestows 1 negative level. Any humanoid creature drained to 0 levels by the juvenile nabassu’s deathstealing gaze dies and is immediately transformed into a ghoul (MM 119) under the nabassu’s permanent command. The death-stealing gaze has no effect on creatures that are not humanoids. The save DC is Charisma-based. Feed (Su) A juvenile nabassu can feed on the body of a helpless living humanoid, devouring both its flesh and life force. To do so, the nabassu makes a coup de grace attack against the humanoid creature; this provokes an attack of opportunity from any creatures that threaten it. If the victim is slain by the coup de grace, a significant physical portion of its body is eaten by the nabassu while the remaining portions quickly rot away to a foulsmelling paste. This prevents any form of raising or resurrection that requires part of the corpse. A wish, miracle, or true resurrection can restore a devoured victim to life. For every three humanoids the juvenile nabassu devours in this fashion, it gains the following benefits: +1 profane bonus on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks +5 hit points +1 profane bonus to its natural armor +1 effective level (whenever the nabassu’s level is used in a die roll or calculation, increase it by 1) A juvenile nabassu that devours 30 humanoids in this fashion loses the above benefits and instantly transforms into a mature nabassu (see below for statistics). On its next turn, the newly matured nabassu plane shifts back to the Abyss with any items currently in its possession, abandoning its ghoul minions. Sneak Attack (Ex) A juvenile nabassu can make a sneak attack as a rogue, dealing an extra 2d6 points of damage whenever a foe is denied his or her Dexterity bonus, or when the juvenile nabassu is flanking. Mature Nabassu CR 15 Always CE Medium outsider (chaotic, evil, extraplanar, tanar’ri) Init +9; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +23, Spot +23 Languages Abyssal, Common; telepathy 100 ft. AC 31, touch 15, flat-footed 26 (+5 Dex, +16 natural) hp 202 (15 HD); regeneration 5; DR 10/cold iron or good Immune electricity, poison Resist acid 10, cold 10, fire 10; SR 26 Fort +20, Ref +14, Will +16 Speed 40 ft. (8 squares), fly 90 ft. (good) Melee bite +24 (2d8+9/19–20) and 2 claws +19 (1d8+4) Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. Base Atk +15; Grp +24 Atk Options sneak attack +6d6 Special Actions death-stealing gaze, feed, summon tanar’ri, vampiric link Spell-Like Abilities (CL 15th): At will—darkness, enervation (+20 ranged touch), ethereal jaunt, greater dispel magic, greater teleport (self plus 50 pounds of objects only), hold monster (DC 20), obscuring mist, silence (DC 18), true seeing, unholy aura (DC 24), unholy blight (DC 20) 3/day—blasphemy (DC 23), energy drain (+20 melee touch; DC 25) Abilities Str 28, Dex 20, Con 28, Int 20, Wis 21, Cha 23 SQ camouflage, tanar’ri traits (see page 28) Feats Ability Focus (death-stealing gaze), Combat Casting, Great Fortitude, Improved Critical (bite), Improved Initiative, Iron Will Skills Balance +7, Bluff +24, Concentration +27, Diplomacy +8, Gather Information +8, Hide +23 (+31 in underground or barren environments), Intimidate +26, Jump +15, Knowledge (arcana) +23, Knowledge (local) +23, Knowledge (religion) +23, Knowledge (the planes) +23, Listen +23, Move Silently +23, Spot +23, Tumble +25, Use Magic Device +24 Advancement 16–19 HD (Medium); 20–29 HD (Large); 30–45 HD (Huge); see text Camouflage (Ex) As the juvenile nabassu (see above). Death-Stealing Gaze (Su) 30 feet, Fortitude DC 25, bestows 1d4 negative levels. Any humanoid creature drained to 0 levels by a mature nabassu’s death-stealing gaze dies and is immediately transformed into a ghoul (MM 119) under the nabassu’s permanent command. The death-stealing gaze has no effect on creatures that are not humanoids. As a standard action, a nabassu can actively use its gaze to kill a single creature within range, regardless of the creature’s type. A creature that fails the DC 25 Fortitude save against this killing gaze is immediately slain. This is a death effect. Nabassu Illus. by A. Stokes 620_95375_Ch2.indd 49 3/20/06 4:04:18 PM